THE  LIBRARY, 
OF      J^ 
THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


MEMOIR 


WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 


BT 


FRANCIS  WINTHROP  PALFREY. 


BOSTON: 

HOUGHTON,  OSGOOD  AND  COMPANY. 
Htoersilie  Press,  C-amijriUjje. 

1879. 


COPYRIGHT,  1878, 
BT  HOBGHTON,  OSGOOD  AND  COMPANY. 

All  Rights  Reserved 


RIVERSIDE,  CAMBRIDGE  : 

STEREOTYPED    AND    PRINTED    BT 

H.  0.  HOUGHTON  AND  COMPANY 


MEMOIR 

OF 

WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 


WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT  was  born  at  Ha- 
verhill,  Massachusetts,  on  the  sixth  day  of  June, 
1840.  He  was  the  son  of  Charles  L.  Bartlett  and 
of  his  wife  Harriott  (Plummer)  Bartlett.  He 
was  the  grandson  of  the  Honorable  Bailey  Bart- 
lett, of  Haverhill,  Massachusetts,  and  of  his  great- 
grandfathers one  was  present  at  the  siege  of  Lou- 
isburg,  and  another  was  an  officer  in  the  Third 
Massachusetts  Regiment  in  the  Revolutionary 
War.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1861  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Junior  Class  in  Harvard  Col- 
lege. He  was  not  a  close  student,  and  perhaps  a 
little  young  for  his  years.  He  was  rather  fond 
of  billiards,  suppers,  college  clubs,  and  the  society 
of  young  ladies,  and  very  fond  of  skating,  boat- 
ing, novels,  and  the  theatre.  In  person  he  was 
tall,  straight,  and  slender,  with  a  certain  air  of  re- 
serve and  dignity  of  carriage  which  corresponded 


1407464 


2        MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

with  his  as  yet  undeveloped  character.  His 
health  was  excellent,  as  it  had  been  from  his  ear- 
liest childhood.  His  political  sympathies  inclined 
to  the  Southern  side.  On  the  2d  of  January  he 
wrote  a  theme  in  which  he  maintained  that  the 
demands  of  the  South  were  just  —  that  she  de- 
manded only  her  rights  under  the  Constitution ; 
and  in  his  journal,  under  date  of  January  10,  he 
writes,  "  And  then  to  think  that  all  these  troubles 
have  arisen  from  the  interference  of  the  North." 
Three  months  later,  when  the  question  of  going 
to  the  war  was  presenting  itself,  he  writes  :  "  It 
would  be  fighting  rather  against  my  principles, 
since  I  have  stuck  up  for  the  South  all  along. 
We  shall  see." 

On  the  4th  of  January  he  had  his  first  drill, 
under  Sergeant  T.  G.  Stevenson,  afterwards  Gen- 
eral Stevenson,  the  gallant  soldier  who  was  killed 
at  Spottsylvania,  while  commanding  a  Division 
of  the  Ninth  Corps.  On  the  17th  of  April,  the 
same  day  on  which  he  wrote  the  sentence  about 
"fighting  against  his  principles,"  he  joined  the 
Fourth  Battalion  of  Massachusetts  Volunteer 
Militia.  On  the  24th  of  the  same  month,  he  was 
present  at  a  meeting  of  the  battalion,  at  which  it 
was  voted  to  accept  the  proposal  that  it  should 
garrison  one  of  the  forts  in  Boston  Harbor.  Opin- 
ions changed  and  decisions  were  formed  rapidly 
in  those  days. 

On  Thursday,  the   25th  of  April,  1861,  the 


MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.        3 

Fourth  Battalion  went  to  Fort  Independence, 
Boston  Harbor,  under  the  command  of  Stevenson, 
already  commissioned  as  captain,  and  in  ten  days 
more  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major.  Bartlett 
went  with  it,  and  remained  with  it  there,  with  the 
exception  of  a  two  days'  leave,  till  it  returned  to 
Boston  on  the  25th  of  May.  He  thought  he  did 
not  enjoy  his  life  at  the  fort,  while  he  was  there, 
but  on  his  return  he  wrote :  "  What  have  I  gained 
during  the  last  month  ?  I  have  learnt  more  mil- 
itary than  I  could  have  learned  in  a  year  in  the 
armory  or  from  books I  value  the  knowl- 
edge acquired  in  the  last  month  more  highly  than 
all  the  Greek  and  Latin  I  have  learned  in  the 

last  year I  look  back  on  the  past  month 

as  one  of  the  pleasantest  and  most  useful  that  I 
remember."  The  martial  fever  was  already  seiz- 
ing him.  He  returned  to  college  when  the  Bat- 
talion was  dismissed,  at  the  expiration  of  its  tour 
of  garrison  duty,  but  he  gave  much  time  thence- 
forth to  drills,  parades,  and  other  military  matters. 
On  the  20th  of  June  he  writes :  "  It  is  reported 
that  an  order  has  come  for  ten  more  regiments. 
I  hope  it  is  so." 

His  stay  at  Fort  Independence  had  done  more 
for  him  than  he  knew.  The  serious,  faithful,  and 
intelligent  manner  in  which  he  had  striven  to 
learn  and  do  a  soldier's  duty  there,  had  attracted 
the  attention  of  a  person  who  was  able  soon  after 
to  give  him  the  opportunity  of  entering  the  mili- 


4        MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

tary  service  of  the  United  States  with  a  very  high 
commission  for  so  young  a  man.  In  June,  1861, 
Colonel  William  Raymond  Lee  was  authorized  to 
raise  the  Twentieth  Regiment  of  Massachusetts 
Volunteer  Infantry,  and  to  nominate  his  field  and 
staff  officers,  and  the  line  officers  of  two  compa- 
nies. He  offered  the  place  of  lieutenant-colonel 
to  the  writer  of  this  memoir,  and,  as  his  age  was 
such  that  he  had  little  acquaintance  among  the 
young  men  of  the  period,  he  asked  him  to  recom- 
mend suitable  persons  for  the  captaincies  and 
lieutenancies  at  his  disposal.  Bartlett  had  been 
under  the  writer's  command  much  or  all  of  the 
time  passed  at  the  fort,  and  had  made  upon  him 
the  favorable  impression  before  alluded  to.  In 
Bartlett's  journal  we  find  the  following  modest 
entries  in  relation  to  what  followed :  — 

"  Friday,  June  28.  Palfrey  came  up  to  me  on  the 
Common,  and  said  he  had  received  the  Lieutenant-colo- 
nel's commission  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment ;  that  he 
had  several  commissions  at  his  disposal,  and  asked  me  if 
I  wanted  one.  I  replied  in  the  affirmative.  I  take  it  as 
a  compliment,  his  coming  and  asking  me,  when  there 
are  so  many  begging  him  for  them." 

"Monday,  July  1.  Palfrey  came  to  me  and  said, 
'  Charley  Peirson  has  been  offered  the  adjutant's  office 
for  the  Twentieth  Regiment.  If  he  does  not  accept  it, 
would  you  like  it  ? '  I  was  rather  taken  aback.  I  told 
him  I  would  accept  it  if  he  thought  me  capable  of  quali- 
fying myself  for  it.  He  said  he  thought  I  was." 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.      5 

"  Thursday,  July  2.  Received  a  note  from  Palfrey. 
I  have  been  appointed  captain." 

The  news  of  his  appointment  must  have  spread 
rapidly,  for  in  his  journal  of  the  very  next  day, 
he  records  the  names  of  numerous  applicants  for 
commissions  under  him.  On  the  5th  of  July,  he 
set  out  upon  his  first  recruiting  expedition.  For 
a  few  days  after,  he  was  busily  occupied  in  re- 
cruiting, and  on  the  16th  of  July,  he  slept  for  the 
first  time  in  the  camp  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment 
Massachusetts  Volunteer  Infantry,  at  Readville. 
He  records  in  his  journal  that  he  slept  on  the 
ground,  as  his  men  had  no  straw.  He  had  recom- 
mended as  his  first  and  second  lieutenants  George 
N.  Macy  and  Henry  L.  Abbott,  and  they  had 
been  appointed  and  commissioned  accordingly. 
Recruiting  was  slow  and  difficult  at  this  time,  as 
the  regiments  with  lower  numbers  had  exhausted 
the  first  enthusiasm  of  the  community,  but  his 
company  made  steady  gains  in  numbers,  and  its 
material  was  exceptionally  good. 

The  field  and  staff  officers  of  the  Twentieth 
Regiment  received  commissions  dated  July  1, 
and  the  commissions  of  the  line  officers  were 
dated  July  10.  It  was,  therefore,  determined 
that  the  regimental  rank  of  the  line  officers 
should  be  arranged  in  accordance  with  the  esti- 
mate formed  of  their  soldierly  capacity  and  effi- 
ciency after  a  trial  of  five  or  six  weeks,  and  the 


6        MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Colonel  ordered  the  Lieutenant-colonel,  Major, 
and  Adjutant  to  confer  together,  and  to  report 
the  result  to  him.  In  pursuance  of  their  action 
under  this  order,  Captain  Bartlett  was  named 
senior  Captain,  and  he  and  his  company  there- 
upon took  the  right  of  the  line. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  1861,  the  regiment 
left  the  State.  It  passed  through  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore,  to  Washington, 
where  it  made  a  short  stay,  and  by  Sunday,  the 
15th  of  September,  it  had  marched  some  thirty- 
six  miles  up  the  Potomac,  and  was  established  in 
what  proved  to  be  its  home  for  many  months, 
Camp  Benton,  between  Poolesville  and  Edwards' 
Ferry,  the  latter  being  a  crossing  of  the  Poto- 
mac near  the  Virginia  town  of  Leesburg. 

The  regiment  had  been  hurried  from  the  State, 
in  consequence  of  one  of  the  scares  which  were 
not  uncommon  at  that  time,  when  it  was  only 
about  two  thirds  full.  It  was  well  officered,  in 
the  main,  and  was  rapidly  getting  into  extremely 
good  condition.  It  was  brigaded  with  the  Nine- 
teenth Massachusetts,  the  Seventh  Michigan,  and 
the  Forty-second  New  York,  commonly  called 
the  Tammany  Regiment.  The  force  was  under 
the  command  of  General  Lander,  and  formed  the 
Third  Brigade  of  what  was  then  known  as  the 
Corps  of  Observation,  a  Division  of  twelve  regi- 
ments of  infantry,  one  of  cavalry,  and  four  bat- 
teries, commanded  by  General  Stone. 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.        7 

In  the  five  weeks  of  pleasant  autumn  weather 
which  followed  the  arrival  of  the  regiment  at 
Poolesville,  Captain  Bartlett  was  occupied  in 
learning  his  duty  as  an  officer  in  active  service, 
and  in  teaching  his  men,  with  the  aid  of  his  two 
efficient  lieutenants,  to  perform  theirs.  Besides 
company  and  battalion  drills,  guard  duty,  and 
the  usual  camp  routine  of  a  regiment  in  the  field, 
the  regiment  had  its  share  of  grand  guard  and 
outpost  duty,  and  Captain  Bartlett  was  zealous, 
intelligent,  and  faithful  on  whatever  duty  he  was 
sent.  The  following  letters  were  written  by  him 
during  this  period. 

I  have  let  one  of  my  men  copy  this  out  of  my  journal, 
which  I  wrote  after  we  got  here  Sunday  night.  Part 
of  it  was  a  letter  to  Ben.  I  am  well  and  comfortable. 

CAMP  FOSTER,  September  15,  186L 

After  three  days'  continual  marching,  we  have  ar- 
rived at  the  most  magnificent  spot  I  ever  saw.  To  go 
back  :  I  last  wrote  home  from  Camp  Buruside,  near 
Washington.  We  received  orders  on  the  12th  to  move 
immediately  across  the  river.  We  had  heard  firing  all 
the  day  before,  and  every  one  was  on  the  qui  vive.  We 
had  tents  struck,  baggage  packed,  and  knapsacks  slung, 
and  had  reached  the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which  our  camp 
was  pitched,  when  an  aide-de-camp  of  General  Lander 
rode  up  at  full  speed,  and  asked  for  the  Colonel.  I 
directed  him,  and  in  a  moment  the  word  came  down  the 
line,  "  Column  halt !  "  The  order  for  crossing  the  river 
siere  had  been  countermanded,  and  we  were  ordered  to 


8        MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLE1T. 

start  for  Poolesville,  up  the  river  towards  Harper's 
Ferry.  "We  countermarched,  and  started  up  the  main 
road.  It  was  very  hot  but  not  dusty.  "We  made  about 
nine  miles  over  an  uneven  road,  and  at  night  bivouacked 
under  the  starlit  skies.  The  water  was  deep  in  the  hol- 
lows of  our  blankets  in  the  morning,  and  the  dew-drops 
glistened  on  our  noses  and  hair  in  the  rising  sun. 

I  caught  no  cold  and  never  rose  more  refreshed.  "We 
fell  in  for  the  march  about  half  past  nine.  To-day  it 
was  cooler  on  account  of  a  fresh  breeze  from  the  west. 
I  led  the  column  at  a  smart  step  until  the  Colonel  rode 
up  and  said  that  the  men  were  complaining  of  having  to 
march  too  fast,  and  asked  for  an  easier  gait.  We  slack- 
ened up.  We  marched  on  through  a  hilly  country  for 
some  miles,  when  we  struck  off  the  main  road  to  the  left 
for  Rockville.  It  now  began  to  look  more  like  my  idea 
of  an  army  on  the  march,  now  fording  a  shallow  stream 
and  now  climbing  a  long,  steep,  and  rocky  hill.  Being 
at  the  head  of  the  column,  I  could  look  back  as  we 
reached  the  top,  and  see  the  bayonets  glisten  down  the 
narrow  road  until  the  rear  was  lost  in  a  cloud  of  dust. 

We  stopped  two  miles  outside  of  Rockville  for  dinner, 
which  consisted  of  hard  bread  and  salt  meat  from  our 
haversacks.  The  men  have  an  idea  that  we  live  better 
than  they  do,  wherever  we  are,  but  in  many  cases  we 
do  not  fare  so  well.  After  a  short  rest  we  fell  in  at  the 
beat  of  the  drum,  and  struck  Muddy  Branch  at  sun- 
down, passing  through  Rockville  under  the  waving  of 
Union  flags.  In  talking  with  natives  here  they  are 
itrong  Union,  but  this  one  and  that  one,  their  neighbors, 
are  secession. 

We  bivouacked  at  Muddy  Branch,  on  a  steep  hillside, 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       9 

where  lying  on  the  ground  brought  you  to  almost  a  per- 
pendicular position.  It  was  very  wet  before  morning. 
The  sensation  is  a  new  and  not  altogether  unpleasant 
one,  of  opening  your  eyes  and  seeing  the  stars  above 
you.  Saturday  morning  we  received  orders  from  Gen- 
eral Lander  to  take  extra  precautions,  as  the  rebel  cav- 
alry had  crossed  the  river  in  great  numbers,  and  were 
intending  to  cut  us  off  with  our  large  baggage  train  and 
ammunition. 

An  advanced  guard  of  picked  men  of  Company  I 
was  sent  forward  under  my  command,  with  ten  rounds 
of  ball  cartridges,  rifles  loaded  and  capped.  Caspar 
Crowninshield,  being  second  Captain,  was  given  com- 
mand of  the  rear  guard,  with  an  equal  number  of  men. 
The  regiment  had  cartridges  distributed,  but  were  not 
allowed  to  cap  their  pieces.  We  left  Muddy  Run  at 
ten,  with  a  faint  hope  in  my  mind  of  meeting  anything 
like  rebel  cavalry,  but  the  men  were  quite  elated  at 
the  idea  of  having  a  brush.  We  had  to  halt  several 
times  to  make  the  streams  fordable  for  the  wagons,  and 
halted  without  adventure  at  Seneca  Creek,  six  miles 
from  Poolesville,  for  the  noonday  rest  and  meal. 

We  passed  on  our  march  within  a  mile  of  Gordon's 
regiment,  which  is  in  camp  near  the  road,  and  saw 
Lieutenant  Morse  of  the  same.  During  our  halt,  Cap- 
tain Abbott,  Little's1  brother,  rode  up,  having  heard  of 
our  approach.  Of  course  we  were  glad  to  see  him. 
All  the  fellows  of  their  regiment  are  well  and  sent  love. 

1  Little,  here  and  elsewhere,  is  Henry  L.  Abbott,  the  accom- 
plished officer  who  was  killed  in  the  Wilderness  in  May,  1864, 
as  Major  of  his  regiment.  The  story  of  his  life  is  told  in  the 
Harvard  Memorial  Biographies. 


10       MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

Tom  Robeson  is  at  Washington  on  signal  duty,  tele- 
graphing, etc.  Ned  Abbott  rode  on  with  us  when  we 
marched,  as  far  as  Poolesville,  where  we  halted.  The 
gradual  rise  to  this  place  is  imperceptible,  until  you  see 
before  you  in  the  distance  what  appear  to  be  clouds  in 
the  western  horizon.  They  do  not  seem  to  change  their 
shape,  and  you  recognize  them  soon  as  mountains,  the 
famous  Blue  Ridge  of  Virginia.  But  what  is  more  sur- 
prising, you  find  yourself  on  a  mountain,  and  looking 
across  a  valley  of  some  sixty  or  seventy  miles,  through 
which  the  Potomac  runs.  Imagine  yourself  on  the  sum- 
mit of  Mount  Washington,  or  higher  if  you  please,  and 
then  have  the  summit  stretched  out  into  a  flat  table- 
land of  fifty  square  miles,  with  nothing  to  obstruct  the 
horizon,  and  you  have  a  slight  idea  of  our  position  and 
view.  We  were  thousands  of  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea,  and  still  on  every  side  it  was  perfectly  level 
until  your  eye  stretched  across  the  surrounding  valley 
and  rested  on  the  blue  hills  beyond.  Towering  above 
the  others  was  the  famous  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain,  from 
whose  summit  the  signal  fires  tell  the  numbers  and 
movements  of  the  foe. 

The  scenery  was  appreciated  even  by  the  tired  men, 
and  exclamations  of  surprise  would  occasionally  be  heard 
from  the  ranks.  Our  bivouac  here  at  Poolesville  has 
surpassed  all  others.  We  are  so  high  that  very  little 
dew  falls,  our  blankets  being  only  damp  in  the  morning, 
and  the  air  is  so  invigorating  that  a  person  is  inclined  to 
be  pleased  with  everything.  Although  this  was  our 
third  day  on  the  march,  and  we  had  come  farther  than 
on  any  other  day,  the  men  were  in  better  spirits  and 
••eally  not  so  tired  as  on  the  night  of  our  first  bivouac. 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.       11 

The  river  is  but  four  miles  from  here,  and  our  pickets 
there  exchange  shots  daily  with  the  rebels.  To-day 
one  of  ours  was  killed.  Sometimes  the  pickets  will 
make  friendly  advances  to  each  other  across  the  river, 
and  leaving  their  arms  will  meet  half  way  on  the  ford, 
arid  chat  in  the  most  friendly  manner.  In  one  case 
they  exchanged  a  Boston  Journal  for  a  Mobile  paper. 
We  have  seen  nothing  of  the  Rebel  cavalry,  and  before 
stacking  I  ordered  the  guns  to  be  uncapped. 

September  15,  Sunday,  we  had  looked  forward  to  as 
a  day  of  rest,  literally,  but  at  eleven  we  were  ordered  to 
have  dinner  as  early  as  possible,  as  we  must  start  again 
for  a  new  camping  ground  two  and  a  half  miles  nearer 
the  river.  The  sun  was  broiling.  I  picked  up  a  tin 
cup  lying  in  the  sun,  without  thinking,  and  dropped  it 
as  though  it  was  red.  I  believe  if  my  hand  had  been 
wet,  it  would  have  sizzled.  We  fell  in  at  two,  and  pass- 
ing the  advanced  regiment  of  Minnesota  Volunteers,  de- 
scended from  our  table-land  towards  the  river,  and  are 
now  in  advance  of  everything  in  this  direction.  We 
have  the  post  of  honor.  In  the  first  advance  into  Vir- 
ginia, our  regiment,  having  the  right  of  the  brigade, 
leads ;  Company  I,  having  the  right  of  our  regiment, 
also  leads.  The  Minnesota  regiment  which  is  to  sup- 
port us  is  the  same  that  behaved  so  well  at  Bull's  Run, 
and  was  the  last  to  leave  the  field,  and  in  good  order. 

The  Colonel  considers  it  a  great  compliment,  placing 
his  regiment  so  well  in  advance.  But  we  compare  in 
appearance  and  drill  certainly  with  any  that  I  have 
^een  since  I  left  home.  We  reached  our  final  camp 
ground  about  four  o'clock,  have  got  our  camp  laid  out, 
9ur  tents  pitched,  and  guard  mounted,  and  hope  to  stay 


12       MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

here  a  week  or  two  to  get  up  again  on  our  drill,  etc., 
which  must  have  lost  something  from  our  late  irregu- 
larities. As  soon  as  our  brigade  is  full,  we  shall  prob- 
ably go  on  picket  duty  on  the  river,  which  they  say  is 
quite  pleasant,  having  just  enough  danger  to  make  it 
exciting.  A  whole  company  is  detailed  for  a  certain 
number  of  days,  perhaps  a  week,  when  it  is  relieved  by 
the  next.  I  will  write  at  the  first  opportunity,  giving 
you  some  of  my  adventures  and  experience  on  picket. 

The  Colonel  was  down  at  the  river  to-day  with  Gen- 
eral Stone,  and  got  one  of  our  pickets  to  make  advances 
to  his  neighbor  opposite,  and  draw  him  into  conversa- 
tion across  the  river.  They  kept  in  the  back-ground, 
and  listened  to  the  dialogue,  which  of  course  wasn't  in 
a  whisper.  The  rebel  said  they  had  but  two  or  three 
hundred  cavalry  there,  and  ouly  one  or  two  batteries. 
Of  course  their  information  goes  for  what  it  is  worth. 
But  it  seems  rather  laughable,  the  whole  thing.  It  is 
impossible  for  me  to  realize  that  we  are  so  near  the 
enemy.  I  shall,  perhaps,  when  I  hear  a  bullet  whistle 
by  my  head. 

I  have  written  a  good  deal,  considering  we  have  been 
on  the  march  for  the  last  four  days,  but  I  do  not  feel 
tired  in  the  least ;  the  men  are  somewhat  used  up,  it 
being  their  first  march,  but  they  have  stood  it  very  well, 
especially  my  company.  I  haven't  had  one  straggler. 

I  must  stop,  not  for  want  of  matter  but  for  brevity  of 
candle.  The  air  of  the  tent  feels  close  and  uncomfort- 
able after  living  so  long  in  the  open  air. 

My  next  may  be  dated  from  the  "  Banks  of  the 
Potomac." 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       13 

HEADQUARTERS  TWENTIETH  REGIMENT  MASS.  VOLUNTEERS, 
CAMP  BENTON,  EDWARDS'  FERRY,  MD. 

September  24,  1861. 
DEAR  MOTHER  :  — 

September  25,  9  A.  M.  I  had  just  sat  down  to  write  a 
long  letter  last  eve.  (my  first  opportunity  for  a  week), 
when  an  orderly  from  General  Lander  brought  me  writ- 
ten orders  to  take  command  of  a  detachment  for  service 
down  at  the  river.  So  I  had  to  stop  just  where  I  was. 
I  was  disappointed,  because  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to 
seize  this  my  first  spare  eve.,  and  do  nothing  else  but 
write. 

I  received  five  letters  to-day  from  home,  dated  the 
21st,  20th,  18th,  17th,  and  16th,  respectively.  They 
have  been  lying  in  Washington.  Also  a  Boston  paper, 
17th.  There  are  so  many  questions  in  each  one,  that  it 
would  be  useless  to  try  and  answer  them  separately,  so 
I  will  continue  my  story  from  where  I  left  off. 

I  was  in  command  of  a  battalion  of  three  companies 
and  a  section  of  the  Third  R.  I.  Battery,  in  an  advance 
position  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac.  I  also  had  with 
me  a  detachment  of  thirty  sharpshooters  under  Captain 
Saunders.  I  was  recalled  with  my  command  Saturday 
night,  and  marched  home  in  a  drenching  rain  six  miles. 

The  last  night  I  was  there  I  suspected  an  attack.  I 
doubled  the  guards,  set  an  extra  picket  of  sharpshooters 
on  the  shore  of  the  river,  and  made  every  man  in  the 
command  sleep  on  his  gun  with  all  his  equipments  on. 
I  was  up  all  night,  round  the  camp  and  down  at  the  river. 
We  could  see  the  lights  of  the  pickets  just  across  the 
river.  About  midnight,  one  of  the  boats  on  this  side 
got  loose  and  floated  off.  I  had  to  strip  and  swim  after 


14      MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

it.  It  was  a  cold  bath  at  that  time  of  night.  I  did  not 
take  any  cold.  I  am  beyond  that  now.  We  saw  nothing 
of  the  enemy.  I  lay  down  under  a  tree  about  4  A.  M. 
and  slept  an  hour  or  two. 

They  are  erecting  a  battery  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river  here,  a  fortified  camp.  Sunday  I  had  a  little  time 
tc  sleep,  having  been  without  it  for  so  long. 

Sunday  night  I  was  going  to  have  a  good  sleep,  when 
at  half-past  six  orders  came  to  march  for  the  river,  infor- 
mation having  been  received  that  the  rebels  had  crossed 
in  force  a  little  way  up.  I  was  put  in  command  of  a 
battalion  of  three  companies,  and  ordered  to  march  to 
the  ferry,  and  thence  up  the  tow  path  of  the  canal  about 
four  miles.  I  marched  them  at  single  file,  open  order. 
I  marched  ahead  with  a  few  sharpshooters.  We  bi- 
vouacked on  the  path,  where  we  halted.  It  was  very 
wet  before  morning.  We  returned  to  camp  by  day- 
light, without  having  a  skirmish.  That  night,  Mon- 
day, I  got  some  sleep.  As  I  said  before,  I  expected 
to  write  all  last  night,  Tuesday.  But  at  seven,  or- 
ders came  to  fall  in.  I  received  command  of  half 
the  regiment,  all  that  was  sent,  five  companies.  I 
took  Lieutenant  Abbott  as  aide-de-camp.  We  marched 
quick  time  to  the  ferry.  Then  I  sent  Captain  Trem- 
lett  up  the  tow  path  four  miles  with  two  companies, 
and  retained  three  with  me.  I  formed  my  detachment 
into  a  hollow  square,  stacked  the  guns,  posted  a  guard, 
and  let  the  men  lie  down  where  they  were.  I  slept  on 
the  floor  of  a  deserted  double-roomed  house  which  I 
made  headquarters.  I  went  to  sleep,  having  a  sentinel 
posted  near  me  to  wake  me  on  the  least  alarm.  I  slept 
by  intervals  till  four  A.  M.,  when  I  got  the  captains  to  get 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       15 

their  companies  under  arms.  I  left  before  sunrise,  and 
got  back  to  camp  at  reveille.  Reported  at  headquarters, 
and  then  lay  down  for  a  nap.  I  then  thought  that  I 
ought  to  write,  and  have  put  off  sleeping  until  night, 
when  ten  to  one  I  may  be  sent  off  again  on  some  mid- 
night expedition.  Yesterday  I  acted  colonel,  and  re- 
ceived the  dress  parade.  This  is  the  first  time  I  have 
ever  had  it.  It  would  have  looked  queer  at  Readville 
to  see  me  taking  dress  parade  and  have  all  the  officers 
march  up  and  salute  me ;  but  it  comes  more  natural  after 
having  these  captains  under  my  command  so  many  times. 
We  shall  have  a  mail  carrier  soon,  so  that  we  may  get 
our  letters  more  punctually.  I  am  afraid  my  trunk  is 
going  to  weigh  too  much  according  to  the  new  orders. 
If  it  does,  I  shall  have  to  send  it  home  and  get  another 
one,  a  kind  of  camp  trunk,  price  $8.00  ;  then  you  can 
send  me  anything  you  wish,  if  it  doesn't  take  up  room, 
or  is  anything  to  eat.  We  live  on  hard  bread  and  salt 
meat,  and  coffee  or  tea.  But  I  don't  care  for  anything 
else.  I  suppose  I  could  buy  pies  and  such  things  if  I 
wanted.  I  drill  the  men  now  almost  altogether  as  skir- 
mishers. 

On  Monday,  tlie  21st  day  of  October,  1861,  he 
was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Ball's  Bluff,  at 
which  his  company  and  five  other  companies  of 
the  regiment,  all  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Lee,  were  present.  It  is  not  proposed  to  give  in 
this  memoir  detailed  descriptions  of  the  battles  in 
which  the  subject  of  it  took  part,  but  his  own 
report  of  his  proceedings,  and  a  letter  to  his 
mother,  written  a  few  days  after,  are  inserted  here. 


16      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

CAMP  BENTON,  October  23,  1861. 
To  GEN.  STOKE,  Commanding  Corps  of  Observation :  — 

GENERAL,  —  I  have  to  report  that  one  hundred  men 
of  the  Twentieth  Regiment  crossed  from  Swan's  (or 
Harrison's)  island  on  Monday  morning,  October  21st,  to 
support  the  detachment  of  the  Fifteenth  and  cover  its 
retreat.  We  climbed  the  steep  bank,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  high,  with  difficulty,  and  took  post  on  the  right 
of  the  open  space  above,  sending  out  scouts  in  all  direc- 
tions. The  detachment  of  the  Twentieth  consisted  of 
two  companies,  I  and  D,  in  all  one  hundred  and  two 
men,  under  command  of  Colonel  Lee. 

A  little  after  daylight,  First  Sergeant  Riddle  of  Co.  I 
was  brought  in,  shot  through  the  arm  by  some  pickets 
of  the  enemy  on  the  right. 

At  8  A.  M.,  a  splendid  volley  was  heard  from  the  di- 
rection of  the  Fifteenth  (who  had  advanced  half  a  mile 
up  the. road  leading  from  the  river),  and  soon  wounded 
men  were  brought  in  towards  the  river.  We  were  then 
deployed  by  Colonel  Lee  as  skirmishers,  on  each  side  of 
the  road  mentioned,  leaving  an  opening  for  the  Fifteenth 
to  pass  through  in  retreat.  They  fell  back  in  good 
order  at  about  10  A.  M.  At  11,  the  other  companies  of 
the  Fifteenth  arrived  from  the  island,  and  Colonel  Dev- 
ens  with  his  command  moved  inland  again.  At  this 
time  the  remaining  men  of  the  Twentieth,  under  Major 
Revere,  joined  us.  Major  Revere  had  during  the  morn- 
ing brought  round  from  the  other  side  of  the  island  a 
Email  scow,  the  only  means  of  transportation,  excepting 
the  whale  boat  holding  sixteen  and  the  two  skiffs  hold- 
ing four  and  five  respectively,  with  which  we  crossed  in 
the  morning.  A.t  2  o'clock,  the  detachment  of  Baker's 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.      17 

Brigade  and  the  Tammany  Regiment  had  arrived,  and 
Colonel  Baker,  who  disposed  the  troops  under  his  com- 
mand. The  three  hundred  and  eighteen  men  of  the 
Twentieth  were  in  the  open  space,  the  right  up  the 
river ;  the  Fifteenth  were  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  on. 
the  right  a  part  of  the  California  (Baker's)  Regiment 
on  the  left,  touching  at  right  angles  our  right. 

One  company  of  the  Twentieth  under  Captain  Put- 
nam was  deployed  as  skirmishers  on  the  right  in  the 
woods,  one  under  Captain  Crowninshield  on  the  left. 
Captain  Putnam  lost  an  arm  in  the  beginning  of  the  en- 
gagement, and  was  carried  to  the  rear.  His  company 
kept  their  ground  well  under  Lieutenant  Hallowell.  The 
Fifteenth  had  before  this,  after  the  arrival  of  General 
Baker,  fallen  back  the  second  time,  in  good  order,  and 
had  been  placed  by  General  Baker  as  above  mentioned. 
The  enemy  now  opened  on  us  from  the  woods  in  front 
with  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry,  which  was  very  effective. 
They  fired  low,  the  balls  all  going  within  from  one  to 
four  feet  of  the  ground. 

Three  companies  of  the  Twentieth  were  kept  in  re- 
serve, but  on  the  open  ground,  exposed  to  a  destructive 
fire.  It  was  a  continual  fire  now,  with  occasional  pauses 
of  one  or  two  minutes,  until  the  last.  The  rifled  cannon 
was  on  the  left,  in  the  open  ground,  in  front  of  a  part  of 
Baker's  regiment,  exposed  to  a  hot  fire.  It  was  not  dis- 
charged more  than  eight  times.  The  gunners  were  shot 
down  in  the  first  of  the  engagement,  and  I  saw  Colonel 
Lee  carry  a  charge  to  the  gun  with  his  own  hand.  The 
last  time  that  it  was  fired,  the  recoil  carried  it  down  the 
rise  to  the  edge  of  the  bank.  The  men  of  the  Twentieth 
Regiment  behaved  admirably,  and  all  that  were  left  of 
2 


18      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

them  were  on  the  field,  after  the  battle  was  declared  lost 
by  General  Baker.  They  acted,  at  least  all  under  my 
command,  with  great  coolness  and  bravery,  and  obeyed 
every  command  implicitly,  and  even  after  the  intimation 
had  been  given  that  we  must  surrender  in  order  to  save 
the  men  that  had  been  left,  they  cheerfully  rallied  and 
delivered  a  well  directed  fire  upon  two  companies  which 
we  met,  which  had  just  advanced  out  of  the  woods. 

We  were  slowly  driven  back  by  their  fire  in  return, 
and  covered  ourselves  with  the  slight  rise  mentioned 
above.  We  tried  to  induce  the  Colonel  to  attempt  an 
escape,  and  got  him  down  the  bank  unhurt  I  turned 
to  collect  the  remnant  of  my  company,  and  when  I  re- 
turned to  the  bank,  they  told  me  that  the  Colonel  (Lee), 
Major,  and  Adjutant  had  got  into  a  small  boat,  and  were 
by  this  time  safely  across.  Feeling  at  ease  then  about 
them,  I  collected  all  that  I  found  of  the  Twentieth,  and 
gave  permission  to  all  those  who  could  swim  and  wished 
to,  to  take  to  the  water,  and  sent  over  reports  and  mes- 
sages by  them.  I  then  ordered  those  of  the  regiment 
who  could  not  swim  to  follow  up  the  river,  in  order  to 
get  them  out  of  the  murderous  volleys  which  the  enemy 
were  pouring  down  upon  us  from  the  top  of  the  bank. 
About  twenty  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  twenty  of  the 
Fifteenth,  and  forty  of  the  Tammany  and  California  regi- 
ments, followed  us. 

We  went  up  as  far  as  the  large  mill,  where  I  found, 
by  means  of  a  negro  there,  a  smaU  sunken  skiff  in  the 
mill-way,  and  induced  him  to  get  it  out  of  water  and 
down  to  the  river.  It  was  capable  of  holding  five  men, 
and  I  began  to  send  them  over,  expecting  every  minute 
to  be  discovered  by  the  enemy.  In  an  hour  they  were 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       19 

all  over,  and  I  crossed  with  Lieutenant  Abbott  of  my  com- 
pany, and  Captain  Tremlett  of  Company  A,  Twentieth. 
I  reported  with  the  men  at  the  hospital  on  the  island. 
They  got  across  to  this  side  during  the  night.  They 
were  obliged  to  stop  at  the  ferry  and  sleep  out,  many  of 
them  without  overcoats  or  blankets,  till  morning.  Out 
of  twenty-two  officers  that  were  with  us  in  the  engage- 
ment, thirteen  are  killed,  wounded,  or  missing ;  of  three 
hundred  and  eighteen  men,  one  hundred  and  forty-six 
are  killed,  wounded,  or  missing.  The  Colonel  (Lee),  I 
learned  at  the  island,  had  not  crossed,  but  I  have  since 
learned  that  he  and  his  companions  went  farther  up  the 
river,  found  the  boat  which  I  afterwards  used,  thought  it 
impracticable,  and  went  on.  They  were  (by  the  report 
of  one  or  two  men  who  have  since  come  in)  taken  pris- 
oners. Colonel  Lee,  Major  Revere,  Adjutant  Peirson, 
Dr.  Revere,  and  Lieutenant  Perry  are  supposed  to  have 
been  together.  I  supposed  it  was  my  duty  to  make  this 
report  of  that  part  of  the  regiment  engaged,  as  senior 
officer  of  those  saved. 

CAMP  BENTON, 
Saturday  Night,  October  25,  1861. 

MY  DEAR  MOTHER,  —  ....  I  have  not  had  time 
or  heart  to  write  you,  who  had  such  good  news  to  hear, 
when  I  thought  of  those  who  could  not  get  anything  but 
bad  tidings.  I  have  been  very  busy  during  the  whole 
week  (which  seems  like  one  long  day,  or  rather  night), 
being  in  command  of  the  regiment  nearly  all  the  time. 
To  my  great  joy  Lieutenant-colonel  Palfrey  returned  in 
safety  with  his  men  Wednesday  night,  when  all  the 
forces  were  withdrawn  from  the  Virginia  shore  by  order 
of  McClellan,  who  was  here. 


20      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

General  Lander  was  brought  here  wounded  in  the  leg 
that  day,  and  when  I  went  up  to  headquarters,  I  heard 
that  McClellan  had  just  heen  up  to  see  him.  It  was 
cheering  news  for  me,  for  I  knew  that  we  had  by  this 
time  got  four  thousand  men  across,  below  our  battle 
ground,  at  Edwards'  Ferry,  and  I  was  in  hopes  some 

General  would  come  who  could  take  command 

In  your  letter  of  Sunday,  which  I  got  "Wednesday,  you 
hoped  I  should  have  a  day  of  rest ;  you  little  thought 
that  I  should  be  the  other  side  of  the  Potomac  at 
two  the  next -morning.  I  had  neither  food  nor  sleep 
from  Saturday  night  until  I  got  back  to  camp  Tuesday 
morning.  We  crossed  the  river,  Caspar  and  I,  under 
command  of  Colonel  Lee,  in  all  one  hundred  men,  in  a 
whale  boat  that  would  carry  sixteen,  and  two  small 
boats  holding  five  and  four  respectively.  I  went  over 
first,  and  found  a  steep  bank  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
high,  with  thick  wood  on  it.  There  was  not  room 
enough  to  form  ten  men,  and  the  banks  were  so  slippery 
that  you  could  not  stand.  I  formed  the  men  in  single 
file  up  the  path,  waiting  for  the  Colonel  and  the  rest  of 
the  men. 

After  they  were  all  over,  we  wound  our  way  up  this 
precipice  and  formed  on  the  open  space  above.  The 
detachment  of  the  Fifteenth,  three  hundred  men,  now 
moved  up  the  road  leading  from  the  top  of  the  bank 
inland.  We  were  to  remain  there  to  support  them,  and 
cover  their  retreat.  We  gave  the  men  distinctly  to  un- 
derstand that  they  must  stand  fast  if  the  Fifteenth  came 
running  down  the  road,  wait  till  they  had  passed,  and 
then  cover  their  retreat.  It  looked  rather  dubious. 
The  Fifteenth  might  get  across,  but  we  must  check  the 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       21 

advance  of  the  enemy  and  get  cut  to  pieces.  We  sent 
out  scouts  in  all  directions  ;  three  men  under  a  sergeant 
composed  each  party. 

My  First  Sergeant  Riddle  went  out  on  our  right.  At 
this  time  we  did  not  know  how  many  of  the  enemy  there 
might  be  within  gunshot  of  us.  It  was  now  about  sun- 
rise, when  we  heard  three  or  four  shots  in  rapid  succes- 
sion on  our  right.  In  a  few  minutes  my  First  Sergeant 
(Riddle)  was  brought  in,  shot  through  the  elbow.  He 
was  fainting  from  loss  of  blood.  We  tied  a  handker- 
chief around  his  arm  and  sent  him  down  to  the  river. 
(I  might  as  well  finish  with  him  here.  It  was  a  sad 
opening  for  me,  he  was  the  best  sergeant  in  the  regi- 
ment, a  favorite  of  both  the  Colonel  and  General 
Lander,  and  perfectly  invaluable  to  me.  He  is  now  at 
the  hospital,  and  I  am  in  hopes  of  saving  his  arm ;  the 
bone  is  shattered ;  he  has  great  pain  but  good  spirits.) 
It  was  nearly  nine  when  we  heard  a  splendid  volley  in  the 
direction  of  the  Fifteenth.  We  knew  we  were  in  for  it 
then.  Soon  wounded  men  were  brought  down  the  road 
mentioned.  How  large  a  force  they  had  met  we  did  not 
know,  but  we  learned  from  the  wounded  that  the  volley 
was  from  the  enemy.  We  expected  now  to  see  the 
Fifteenth  falling  back  on  us.  The  firing  ceased  and  we 
were  in  suspense,  thinking  that  they  might  have  been 
surrounded,  and  waiting  to  see  the  enemy  come  down 
that  road  and  sweep  our  hundred  men  into  the  river. 
We  were  then  deployed  as  skirmishers  across  the  road, 
Company  I  on  the  right,  Caspar  on  the  left,  an  opening 
at  the  road  to  let  the  Fifteenth  pass  through  to  the  river, 
%nd  then  check  their  pursuers  until  they  could  get  across. 
I  never  expected  to  see  Camp  Benton  again,  then,  and  I 


22 

remember  being  sorry  that  my  bundle  had  not  yet  come 
from  home  before  I  left  camp,  and  that  there  would  be 
no  one  there  to  open  it  when  it  came.  I  wondered 
what  you  were  thinking  of  at  the  time,  and  was  glad  that 
you  little  dreamed  of  our  critical  position. 

At  ten  A.  M.  Colonel  Devens  with  his  men  came  down 
the  road  in  good  order.  He  reported  that  there  were 
three  to  four  regiments  of  the  enemy,  besides  cavalry. 
Our  case  was  looking  rather  unpleasant,  to  say  the  least 
We  were  not  attacked,  the  enemy  fearing  that  we  might 
have  a  larger  force.  They  seem  to  refuse  a  fight  unles? 
you  give  them  odds.  At  eleven,  the  remainder  of  the 
Fifteenth  came  over,  and  they  went  back  up  the  road 
again,  six  hundred  in  all.  The  rest  of  our  regiment 
which  crossed  over  on  to  the  island  with  us  the  night  be- 
fore, —  the  island,  Harrison's,  is  midway  between  the  two 
shores,  low  and  flat,  —  now  came  over  to  us,  making  with 
Caspar's  company  and  mine  three  hundred  and  eighteen. 
The  California  Regiment,  of  Philadelphia,  now  began  to 
get  over,  and  the  prospect  for  a  more  even  fight  looked 
better.  But  you  can  imagine  what  a  long  morning  it 
was,  waiting  either  for  reinforcements  or  the  order  to 
withdraw,  with  nothing  to  eat  since  dinner  the  day  be- 
fore. My  company  being  deployed  as  skirmishers,  I  had 
given  the  order  "  Lie  down,"  and  I  myself  reclined  on 
my  elbow  and  dozed  for  half  an  hour.  I  woke  up  and 
found  that  nearly  all  my  skirmishers  lying  down  had 
taken  the  opportunity  to  go  to  sleep,  poor  fellows.  I 
couldn't  bear  to  wake  them  until  the  first  volley  of  mus- 
ketry was  heard  from  the  woods  near  us.  It  shows 
that  the  boys  were  either  indifferent  to  danger,  or  were 
worn  out  with  fatigue,  to  go  to  sleep  on  the  field,  where 
balls  were  occasionally  dropping  in. 


THEHEUOTYFEPRDtTmoCO.  220  DETOKSHnffi  &r  BOSTCW 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       23 

General  Baker  arrived  with  his  regiment  (California 
it  is  called,  composed  of  Philadelphia  men).  He  dis- 
posed the  troops  under  his  command  as  follows :  — 

The  Twentieth,  three  hundred  and  eighteen  men,  in 
the  open  space,  their  right  up  the  river.  The  Fifteenth, 
six  hundred,  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  on  the  right. 
The  California  Regiment,  part  of  it,  on  their  left,  touch- 
ing at  right  angles  our  right. 

A  part  of  the  Tammany  Regiment  was  placed  in  front 
of  us  by  Baker,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  after  the  first 
volley  there  was  nobody  in  front  of  us  but  the  enemy ; 
they  broke  and  fell  in  behind  us. 

The  following  plan  will  show  you  our  position  after 
one  or  two  volleys  had  been  fired  on  us.  [See  Plan.] 

Well  the  first  volley  came  and  the  balls  flew  like  hail. 
You  can  see  from  our  position  on  the  plan  that  we  were 
exposed  to  their  full  fire.  The  whizzing  of  balls  was  a 
new  sensation.  I  had  read  so  much  about  being  under 
fire  and  flying  bullets  that  I  was  curious  to  experience 
it.  I  had  a  fair  chance.  An  old  German  soldier  told 
me  that  he  had  been  in  a  good  many  battles,  but  that  he 
never  saw  such  a  concentrated  fire  before.  They  fired 
beautifully,  too,  their  balls  all  coming  low,  within  from 
one  to  four  feet  of  the  ground.  The  men  now  began  to 
drop  around  me ;  most  of  them  were  lying  down  in  the  first 
of  it,  being  ordered  to  keep  in  reserve.  Those  that  were 
lying  down,  if  they  lifted  their  foot  or  head  it  was 
struck.  One  poor  fellow  near  me  was  struck  in  the  hip 
while  lying  flat,  and  rose  to  go  to  the  rear,  when  an- 
other struck  him  on  the  head,  and  knocked  him  over.  I 
felt  that  if  I  was  going  to  be  hit,  I  should  be,  whether  I 
stood  up  or  lay  down,  so  I  stood  up  and  walked  around 


24      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

among  the  men,  stepping  over  them  and  talking  to  them 
in  a  joking  way,  to  take  away  their  thoughts  from  the 
bullets,  and  keep  them  more  self  possessed.  I  was  sur- 
prised at  first  at  my  own  coolness.  I  never  felt  better, 
although  I  expected  of  course  that  I  should  feel  the 
lead  every  second,  and  I  was  wondering  where  it  would 
take  me.  I  kept  speaking  to  Little,  surprised  that  he 
was  not  hit  amongst  this  rain  of  bullets.  I  said  two  or 
three  times  "  Why  Lit.,  are  n't  you  hit  yet  f  "  I  remember 
Macy  was  lying  where  the  grass  was  turned  up,  and  I 
"roughed"  him  for  getting  his  coat  so  awfully  dirty. 
Lit.  was  as  cool  and  brave  as  I  knew  he  would  be.  The 
different  companies  began  to  wilt  away  under  this  ter- 
rible fire.  Still  there  was  no  terror  among  the  men ; 
they  placed  implicit  confidence  in  their  officers  (I  refer 
to  our  regiment  particularly),  and  you  could  see  that 
now  was  the  time  they  respected  and  looked  up  to  them. 
We  were  driven  back  inch  by  inch,  towards  the  top  of 
the  bank.  The  rifled  cannon  was  not  fired  more  than 
eight  times ;  the  last  time,  the  recoil  carried  it  over  the 
bank,  and  it  went  crushing  through  the  trees,  wounding 
many.  General  Baker  was  standing  near  me  about  four 
o'clock ;  he  seemed  indifferent  to  bullets.  He  said  it  was 
of  no  use,  it  was  all  over  with  us.  A  few  minutes  after, 
he  fell,  struck  by  eight  balls  all  at  once  ;  so  you  can  judge 
by  this  how  thick  they  flew.  No  one  took  command 
after  he  fell ;  in  fact  the  battle  was  lost  some  time  before. 
At  this  time  I  came  on  Captain  Dreher;  he  was  shot 
through  the  head  in  the  upper  part  of  his  cheek.  I  took 
hold  of  him,  turned  his  face  towards  me,  thought  that  he 

tould  not  live  but  a  few  minutes,  and  pushed  ahead. 

When  we  fell  back  again,  he  had  been  taken  to  the 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       25 

rear,  and  was  got  across.  He  is  now  in  a  fair  way  to 
recovery,  the  ball  not  striking  any  vital  part.  Lieuten- 
ants Lowell  and  Putnam  and  Captain  Schmitt  were 
now  down,  but  were  carried  to  the  bank  and  taken 
across. 

Captain  John  Putnam,  I  forgot  to  say,  was  brought 
down  by  where  we  were  from  the  right,  where  he  was 
skirmishing,  in  the  very  first  of  the  fight.  I  remember 
how  I  envied  him  at  getting  off  with  the  loss  of  an  arm, 
and  I  wished  then  that  I  could  change  places  with  him. 
For  I  knew  then,  that  we  should  either  be  killed  or 
taken  prisoners.  The  field  now  began  to  look  like  my 
preconceived  idea  of  a  battle  field.  The  ground  was 
smoking  and  covered  with  blood,  while  the  noise  was 
perfectly  deafening.  Men  were  lying  under  foot,  and 
here  and  there  a  horse  struggling  in  death.  Coats  and 
guns  strewn  over  the  ground  in  all  directions.  I  went 
to  the  Colonel  and  he  was  sitting  behind  a  tree,  perfectly 
composed.  He  told  me  there  was  nothing  to  be  done 
but  "surrender  and  save  the  men  from  being  mur- 
dered." Most  of  the  men  had  now  got  down  the  bank. 
I  thought  it  over  in  my  mind,  and  reasoned  that  we 
might  as  well  be  shot  advancing  on  the  enemy,  as  to  be 
slaughtered  like  sheep  at  the  foot  of  the  bank. 

I  called  for  Company  I  for  one  last  rally.  Every  man 
that  was  left  sprang  forward,  and  also  about  six  men 
(all  who  were  left)  of  Captain  Dreher's  company,  and  ten 
men  of  Company  H  under  Lieutenant  Hallowell,  all  of 
whom  followed  me  up  the  rise.  As  we  reached  the  top, 
I  found  Little  by  my  side.  "We  came  upon  two  fresh 
companies  of  the  enemy  which  had  just  come  out  of  the 
woods ;  they  had  their  flag  with  them.  Both  sides  were 


26      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

so  surprised  at  seeing  each  other  —  they  at  seeing  us 
coming  up  with  this  handful  of  men,  we  at  seeing  these 
two  new  companies  drawn  up  in  perfect  order,  —  that  each 
tide  forgot  to  fire.  And  we  stood  looking  at  each  other 
(not  a  gun  being  fired)  for  some  twenty  seconds,  and  then 
they  let  fly  their  volley  at  the  same  time  we  did. 

If  bullets  had  rained  before,  they  came  in  sheets  now. 
It  is  surprising  that  any  one  could  escape  being  hit.  We 
were  driven  back  again.  I  had  to  order  sharply  one  or 
two  of  my  brave  fellows  before  they  would  go  back. 
Everything  was  lost  now. 

One  of  the  Philadelphia  papers  says,  "After  every- 
thing was  given  up  as  lost,  a  captain  of  the  Fifteenth 
Regiment  rallied  the  remnants  of  two  companies,  and 
charged  gallantly  up  the  rise,  but  was  driven  back  by 
overpowering  numbers,  after  delivering  a  well  directed 
volley."  So  far  so  good.  Then  it  says,  "but  seeing 
the  hopelessness  of  the  case,  he  tied  a  white  handkerchief 
on  his  sword  and  surrendered  himself  and  the  remnant 
of  his  regiment." 

The  officer  in  question  did  not  get  quite  so  far  as  the 
last  part  of  the  story,  nor  did  he  belong  to  the  Fif- 
teenth Massachusetts,  .... 

"When  we  got  back  to  the  bank,  we  induced  the  Colo- 
nel to  go  down  and  try  to  escape.  The  Adjutant  took  his 
left  arm  and  I  his  right,  and  we  got  him  down  the  bank 
unhurt.  Here  was  a  horrible  scene.  Men  crowded 
together,  the  wounded  and  the  dying.  The  water  was 
full  of  human  beings,  struggling  with  each  other  and 
the  water,  the  surface  of  which  looked  like  a  pond 
when  it  rains,  from  the  withering  volleys  that  the  en- 
emy were  pouring  down  from  the  top  of  the  bank. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       27 

Those  who  were  not  drowned  ran  the  chance  of  being 
shot.  I  turned  back  and  left  the  Colonel,  to  collect 
the  remnant  of  my  company,  and  when  I  returned  he 
was  gone.  I  asked  for  him,  and  they  told  me  that  he, 
the  Major',  and  Adjutant  had  got  into  a  small  boat  and 
gone  across  safely.  I  looked,  and  saw  a  small  boat 
landing  on  the  other  side,  and  took  it  for  granted  they 
were  safe.  I  then,  being  in  command,  collected  what  I 
could  of  the  regiment,  and  told  those  who  could  swim, 
and  wished  to,  to  take  the  water,  it  was  the  only  means 
of  escape.  Nearly  all  my  company  could  swim,  and  I 
made  them  stop  and  take  off  their  clothes.  We  sent 
over  reports  and  messages  by  them.  Little  and  I 
thought  it  our  duty  to  stay  by  those  men  who  could  not 
swim.  I  allowed  Macy  to  go,  hoping  that  one  of  us 
might  get  home  to  tell  the  story.  Little  sent  his  watch 
over  by  Kelly,  the  bravest  boy  in  our  company,  and 
I  told  him  to  go  to  Boston,  and  go  to  you  and  tell  you 
that  your  son  was  probably  a  prisoner.  What  should 
you  have  said  to  the  news  ?  Little  did  you  think  or 
know  what  was  taking  place  on  that  Monday  after- 
noon, when 

Volleys  on  right  of  us, 

Volleys  on  left  of  us, 

Volleys  in  front  of  us, 

Battled  and  thundered. 

I  now  determined  to  get  the  men  out  of  this  fire,  and 
surrender  without  any  more  loss.  I  started  up  the 
river,  followed  by  about  twenty  men  of  the  Twentieth 
Regiment,  twenty  of  the  Fifteenth,  and  forty  of  the 
Tammany  and  California  regiments.  Captain  Trem- 
lett,  Company  A,  Twentieth,  Lieutenant  Whittier,  ditto, 


28      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

and  Little  Abbott  went  with  me.  An  officer  of  the  Fif- 
teenth also  was  with  the  party.  We  followed  up  the 
edge  of  the  river,  and  came  to  an  old  mill  which  we 
knew  was  up  in  this  direction.  It  was  owned  and  run 
by  a  man  named  Smart,  who  lived  in  Leesburg,  so  the 
negro  told  me,  whom  I  questioned  as  to  who  was  there. 
We  expected  to  stumble  on  a  party  of  the  rebels  every 
step.  I  asked  him  where  his  boat  was.  He  wondered 
how  I  knew  that  they  had  one,  and  said  it  was  up  in 
the  mill -way. 

I  went  up  there  and  found  a  skiff  under  water,  twenty 
rods  away  from  the  edge  of  the  river.  It  was  capable 
of  holding  five  persons.  Those  with  me  declared  it  use- 
less and  impracticable,  and  proposed  going  into  the  mill, 
get  a  good  night's  rest,  and  give  ourselves  up  in  the 
morning.  I  thought,  though,  that  if  I  only  got  one 
load  of  five  over,  it  would  be  worth  trying ;  so  we  got 
it  down  to  the  river  and  began  the  transportation,  ex- 
pecting every  minute  to  be  discovered  and  fired  at  by 
the  rebels.  When  the  boat  was  put  into  the  water,  the 
whole  crowd  made  a  rush  for  it.  I  had  to  use  a  little 
persuasion  by  stepping  in  front  of  it,  drew  my  pistol 
(for  the  first  time  this  afternoon),  and  swore  to  God 
that  I  would  shoot  the  first  man  who  moved  without  my 
order.  It  was  the  only  thing  that  saved  them.  They 
were  obedient  and  submissive,  and  avoided  being  shot 
by  me  or  taken  prisoners  by  the  enemy.  I  selected 
five  men  of  my  own  company  and  sent  them  across 
first,  with  a  man  to  bring  back  the  boat.  So,  by  de- 
grees, I  got  those  of  the  Twentieth,  next  those  of  the 
Fifteenth  (whose  officer,  by  the  way,  sneaked  off,  got 
across  on  a  raft,  and  left  his  men  on  my  hands),  and 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       29 

lastly  those  of  the  Tammany  and  California  regiments. 
I  sent  Lieutenant  Whittier  over  in  the  second  load,  to 
look  out  for  the  men  as  they  came  over.  It  was  a  tedi- 
ous job.  At  last  I  went  over  with  Tremlett  and  Little, 
and  was  once  more  back  on  the  island.  We  thus  saved 
eighty  men  and  three  officers  from  being  taken  prison- 
ers. I  learned  afterwards  that  the  Colonel,  Major,  and 
Adjutant  were  ahead  of  me  up  the  river,  had  been  to 
the  mill,  found  the  boat,  thought  it  impracticable,  and 
went  on.  They  were  afterwards  taken  prisoners.  Lieu- 
tenant Perry  and  Dr.  Eevere  were  with  them.  We 
went  down  to  the  hospital  opposite  our  battle-field, 
where  we  found  the  wounded  beifcg  cared  for.  They 
had  heard,  and  believed,  that  I  was  shot,  and  the  wel- 
come that  the  men  gave  me  brought  the  first  tears  to 
my  eyes. 

I  got  to  the  Maryland  side  with  all  that  I  could  find 
of  my  company  (five  men)  about  twelve,  midnight.  Then 
w6  had  still  that  long  walk  down  the  tow-path  and  up 
to  our  camp  from  the  river,  where  we  arrived  at  three 
A.  M.  I  got  to  bed  pretty  well  tired  out  at  half  past 
three.  When  I  awoke  there  were  several  waiting  at 
my  tent  door  for  me  to  awake,  to  welcome  me  and  con- 
gratulate me  on  my  safe  return. 

On  waking,  I  sent  telegraphs  to  Jane  by  mail  to  send 
to  Boston ;  did  you  get  them  ? 

By  the  time  I  was  up,  Colonel  Palfrey  had  started  oft* 
with  the  only  remaining  company  of  the  regiment  (Com- 
pany K)  to  cross  the  river  at  Edwards'  Ferry.  He 
got  back  safe,  as  I  told  you,  and  relieved  me  from  the 
command  of  the  regiment. 

The  first  night  that  I  was  here  in  command,  I  thought 


80      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

it  best  to  have  a  dress  parade  as  usual,  both  to  let  the 
men  see  that  everything  was  not  broken  up,  and  to  cheer 
them  with  the  music.  It  had  a  very  good  effect.  I  pub- 
lished to  them  that  night  the  following  order  :  — 

HEADQUARTERS  TWENTIETH  REGT.  MASS.  VOLS., 
CAMP  BENTON,  October  23. 

General   Order  No.  — 

It  is  the  pleasant  duty  of  the  commanding  officer  to 
congratulate  the  men  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment  on 
their  admirable  conduct  in  the  late  battle.  Your  cour- 
age and  bravery  under  a  galling  fire  for  hours  was  only 
equaled  by  your  coolness  and  steadiness  throughout. 

He  laments,  with  you,  the  loss  of  so  many  brave  offi- 
cers and  men  ;  but  hopes,  with  you,  that  the  time  may 
soon  come  when  we  may  avenge  that  loss. 

You  have  established  your  reputation  for  bravery, 
and  gained  honor,  though  you  lost  the  victory. 

By  order  Commanding  Officer. 

The  men  were  quite  affected,  and  the  next  time  the 
Twentieth  is  engaged  she  will  leave  a  mark  that  will 
not  be  lost  sight  of  in  history. 

Out  of  twenty-two  officers  that  were  engaged,  only 
aine  returned  safe.  Of  three  hundred  and  eighteen 
men,  one  hundred  and  forty-six  were  killed,  wounded,  or 
missing  ;  a  loss  which,  in  proportion  to  the  number  en- 
gaged, you  seldom  see.  I  send  you  a  list  of  officers 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  and  also  of  Company  I, 
as  they  may  send  to  you  to  learn. 

Col.  W.  Raymond  Lee,  missing,  prisoner  (unhurt). 

Major  P.  J.  Revere,  missing,  prisoner  (unhurt). 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       31 

Dr.  E.  H.  R.  Revere,  missing,  prisoner  (unhurt). 

Adj.  C.  L.  Peirson,  missing,  prisoner. 

Lieut.  G.  B.  Perry,  missing,  prisoner. 

Lieut.  Wesselhoeft,  missing,  probably  drowned. 

Capt.  Babo,  missing,  probably  drowned. 

Lieut.  W.  L.  Putnam,  wounded,  since  died. 

Capt.  G.  A.  Schmitt,  wounded  badly,  doing  well. 

Lieut.  Lowell,  wounded  slightly  (flesh),  doing  well. 

Capt.  Dreher,  wounded  in  the  head,  doing  well. 

Capt.  Putnam  (John),  wounded  (lost  right  arm),  do- 
ing well. 

Lieut.  Holmes  (0.  W.),  wounded  (breast),  doing 
well. 

A  sad  report,  but  it  might  have  been  worse. 

Of  Company  I,  forty-eight  men  were  engaged,  twenty 
(nearly  half)  were  killed,  wounded,  or  missing,  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

Those  that  are  missing  were  either  shot  or  drowned 
in  the  river. 

First  Sergt.  Riddle  (W.  R.),  wounded,  right  arm  shat- 
tered. 

Corp.  Thomas  Hollis,  wounded  (finger  shot  off),  doing 
well. 

Private  A.  M.  Barber,  wounded  (right  arm),  doing 
well. 

A.  Davis,  killed,  shot  through  heart. 

Thomas  Dolan,  wounded,  finger  shot  off. 

Lewis  Dunn,  missing,  probably  shot. 

W.  F.  Hill,  missing,  probably  shot. 

Albert  Kelly,  missing,  probably  shot. 

M.  V.  Kempton,  missing,  probably  a  prisoner. 

Sam.  Lowell,  missing,  probably  a  prisoner. 


32      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

Pete  McKenna  (my  pet  and  pride),  missing,  took  the 
water,  probably  shot. 

G.  C.  Pratt,  wounded  badly  (will  recover). 

Julius  Strick,  wounded  (right  arm). 

James  Seddon,  wounded  (heel),  doing  well. 

Albert  Stackpole,  wounded,  since  died. 

George  G.  Worth,  missing,  probably  shot  swimming. 

Summerhays,  wounded  slightly  in  the  hand. 

0.  Gammons,  wounded,  finger  shot  off. 

E.  V.  Skinner,  missing,  perhaps  a  prisoner. 

1.  Barker,  missing,  perhaps  a  prisoner. 

Killed  and  wounded,  11  ;  missing,  9  ;  total  loss,  20. 

Worth  and  McKenna  were  two  noble  fellows.  I  was 
saying  to  Little  a  day  or  two  before,  how  sorry  I  should 
be  to  have  any  of  these  men  killed,  in  whom  we  took 
such  an  interest !  I  send  you  a  little  piece  of  a  knot  of 
crape  which  went  through  the  fight  on  Monday  last. 
It  was  tied  on  to  my  sword  hilt  the  day  before.  Cas- 
par had  a  piece  on  his  hilt,  but  said  that  he  saw  it 
when  we  were  marching  up  the  tow-path,  and  tore  it  off 
instantly.  He  and  I  were  the  only  captains  that  had 
crape  on  our  swords,  and  were  the  only  two  that  were 
not  hit.  Captain  Putnam  is  getting  along  finely.  Cap- 
tain Schmitt  will  recover.  He  has  a  great  deal  of  pain, 
but  bears  it  splendidly. 

Well,  mother,  I  have  written  a  pretty  long  letter, 
but  I  guess  you  will  be  interested  enough  to  read  it 
through.  I  have  written  of  course  what  I  should  not 
have  done  to  any  one  else,  and  you  must  not  show  it. 
My  official  report  to  General  Stone  was  in  substance 
like  this,  except,  of  course,  the  parts  relating  to  my- 
self, which  it  did  not  become  me  to  speak  of  to  any  one 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRAKCI8  BART  LETT.       33 

else  but  you  at  home.  I  have  now  been  through  my 
first  battle,  and  it  was  a  fierce  one.  If  we  should  have 
a  campaign  of  ten  years,  we  could  never  get  in  such  a 
place  where  we  should  lose  so  many  men  or  be  under 
such  severe  fire.  General  Stone  told  Colonel  Palfrey 
last  night  that  the  rebels'  official  report  made  them  lose 
three  hundred  men  killed  and  wounded,  and  that  they 
had  five  thousand  troops  engaged  to  our  sixteen  hun- 
dred. W. 


In  the  night  following  the  battle,  the  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel of  the  Twentieth,  with  all  of  the  bri- 
gade left  in  camp,  except  a  slender  camp  guard, 
was  ordered  across  the  river  at  a  point  some 
four  miles  below  the  battle-field,  and  he  did  not 
return  till  the  following  Thursday  morning.  His 
absence,  and  the  capture  of  Colonel  Lee  and 
Major  Revere,  left  Bartlett  the  senior  officer  of 
the  regiment  present  for  duty.  His  action  dur- 
ing these  two  days  was  wise  and  thoughtful.  He 
had  a  dress  parade  the  next  night  after  he  got 
back  from  the  battle,  "  both  to  give  the  men  the 
idea  that  everything  was  not  broken  up,  and  also 
to  cheer  them  with  the  music  of  the  band." 

In  his  journal  he  wrote,  a  few  days  after,  in 
reference  to  some  articles  in  the  Boston  and  New 
York  papers  :  "  They  compliment  me  too  highly, 
who  did  nothing  more  than  my  duty.  My  cool- 
ness was  in  me.  I  ought  not  to  have  the  credit 
of  it,  but  be  grateful  to  God,  who  in  his  mercy 


84      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

has  spared  me,  for  granting  me  the  courage  and 
self-possession." 

The  battle  of  Ball's  Bluff  cost  the  Twentieth 
Regiment  its  colonel,  major,  adjutant,  assistant 
surgeon,  and  one  first  lieutenant  taken  prisoner, 
a  captain  and  two  lieutenants  killed,  and  three 
captains  and  two  lieutenants  severely  wounded,  in 
addition  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  non-com- 
missioned officers  and  privates  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing.  Captain  Bartlett  became,  by  reason 
of  these  casualties,  the  second  officer  of  the  regi- 
ment present  for  duty,  and  he  so  continued  during 
the  whole  of  the  following  six  months,  the  period 
of  his  stay  with  the  regiment  in  the  field.  For 
four  months  the  regiment  remained  in  its  old 
camp,  and  then  it  moved  to  Poolesville,  where  it 
passed  a  few  days.  It  then  formed  part  of  the 
column  which  marched  up  to  Harper's  Ferry,  in 
support  of  General  Banks,  and  moved  out  through 
Charlestown  to  Berryville.  It  returned  to  Har- 
per's Ferry,  and  was  cantoned  for  a  week  at  Boli- 
var Heights,  took  rail  for  Washington,  and  thence 
was  transported  by  water  to  Fortress  Monroe. 
There  the  Corps  of  Observation,  already  for  some 
time  under  the  command  of  General  Sedgwick, 
became  the  Second  Division  of  the  Second  Army 
Corps,  under  General  Sumner.  The  brigade  was 
now  commanded  by  General  Dana.  The  regi- 
ment moved  up  the  Peninsula  with  the  rest  of  the 
army  of  McClellan,  and  took  part  in  the  so-called 
eiege  of  Yorktown. 


MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       35 

During  all  this  period,  Captain  Bartlett  proved 
himself  fully  equal  to  the  onerous  duties  and 
responsibilities  to  which  the  fortune  of  war  had 
called  him.  It  is  impossible  to  estimate  too 
highly  the  value  of  the  assistance  he  gave  to 
his  commanding  officer,  and  of  his  services  to 
the  command.  While  his  class-mates  were  still 
undergraduates,  he  rapidly  made  himself  a  most 
efficient  and  accomplished  second  officer  of  a  regi- 
ment in  the  field.  In  those  early  days  of  the 
war,  none  of  us  knew  our  duties  too  well,  and 
imperfect  knowledge  made  the  task  of  those  who 
strove  to  be  faithful  very  laborious.  The  princi- 
ple of  the  subdivision  of  labor,  which  applies  in 
the  fullest  force  to  a  thoroughly  organized  regi- 
ment, was  very  partially  understood,  and  very 
partially  put  in  force.  Every  conscientious  regi- 
mental commander  had  his  hands  full,  and  the 
calamity  at  Ball's  Bluff  brought  an  immense 
amount  of  miscellaneous  work  upon  the  com- 
mander of  the  Twentieth.  The  mail  came  day 
after  day,  laden  with  letters  for  him,  from  the 
friends  of  the  killed,  the  wounded,  the  missing, 
and  of  those  who  were  safe,  but  had  neglected  to 
report  their  safety  to  their  homes.  The  daily 
routine  of  the  regiment  had  to  be  gone  through 
with,  the  numerous  visitors  to  camp  had  to  be 
courteously  received,  the  immense  mass  of  corre- 
spondence had  to  be  disposed  of,  and  late  at  night 
came  his  final  rounds  in  the  hospitals  in  which 


86       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

the  wounded  lay.  With  even  a  respectable  offi- 
cer in  the  second  place,  something  of  what  was 
done  and  ought  to  have  been  done  must  have 
been  more  or  less  neglected,  but,  fortunately  for 
us  all,  Bartlett  was  more  than  a  respectable  offi- 
cer. Always  alert,  always  zealous,  he  kept  cheer- 
fully and  successfully  at  work.  He  took  a  great 
interest  in  tactics,  and  rapidly  made  himself  a 
proficient  in  the  school  of  the  battalion,  and 
drilled  the  regiment  constantly  and  well.  His 
height,  fine  carriage,  good  horsemanship,  and 
powerful  voice,  caused  him  to  appear  in  such 
positions  to  the  greatest  advantage.  It  was  char- 
acteristic of  him,  that  at  this  time  he  learned  to 
play  the  bugle  sufficiently  well  to  sound  the  in- 
fantry calls.  In  some  way  or  other  he  acquired 
such  a  knowledge  of  the  evolutions  of  the  line 
that  one  day,  when  he  was  unexpectedly  called 
upon  to  take  the  regiment  out  for  brigade  drill, 
under  a  colonel  accidentally  in  command  of  the 
brigade,  and  who  was  believed  to  have  been  pri- 
vately studying,  in  order  to  surprise  and  catch  the 
Twentieth,  he  maneuvered  his  battalion  smoothly 
and  without  hesitation,  while  some  of  his  neigh- 
bors bungled. 

About  the  first  of  December,  1861,  at  the  invi- 
tation of  his  commanding  officer,  he  joined  tents 
with  him,  and  their  personal  friendship,  strength- 
ened by  this  close  relation,  knew  no  change  while 
he  lived,  except  to  grow  closer  as  time  went  on. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       37 

The  following  letters  describe  some  of  his  expe- 
riences in  the  early  part  of  the  Peninsular  Cam- 
paign, of  which  he  was  only  permitted  to  see  the 
commencement.  His  care  of  his  men  on  the 
evening  following  their  first  reconnoissance  was 
gratefully  remembered  and  mentioned  by  them 
when  we  turned  in  our  colors  on  the  22d  of 
December,  1865. 

CAMP  BEFORE  YORKTOWN,  April  10,  1862. 

DEAK  MOTHER:  — I  have  been  through  some  danger 
safely  since  I  wrote  you  Sunday.  Monday  morning  our 
regiment,  with  the  Nineteenth  Massachusetts,  went  out 
on  a  reconnoissance  towards  Yorktown.  We  marched 
three  or  four  miles  through  the  woods  and  mud,  when 
we  came  to  a  rebel  entrenchment  on  the  opposite  side  of 
a  swamp,  which  they  had  made  by  damming  a  stream. 

The  engineer  who  went  with  the  General  reconnoitered 
it,  covered  by  our  skirmishers.  We  exchanged  perhaps 
a  hundred  shots  with  them,  without  doing  any  damage  to 
any  one,  and,  the  engineer  having  accomplished  his  ob- 
ject, we  left,  and  kept  to  the  left ;  about  two  miles.  We 
came  to  another  battery  on  the  same  stream.  Here  they 
opened  on  us  with  shell  from  a  thirty-two-pounder. 
Three  men  of  the  Nineteenth  were  wounded.  One  died 
that  night.  We  got  under  the  cover  of  some  woods  and 
covered  the  engineer  while  he  reconnoitered.  It  looked 
pretty  squally  when  they  opened  on  us  with  shell,  as  we 
had  no  artillery  with  us.  We  withdrew  about  dark, 
having  effected  the  object  of  the  reconnoissance.  We 
had  19  march  home  in  the  dark,  through  the  woods,  in 
up  to  our  knees.  It  had  rained  hard  all  day. 


38      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

I  had  the  fortune  to  wear  my  rubber  coat,  so  that 
I  was  n't  much  wet  above  my  waist.  I  walked,  and  wore 
my  shoes.  We  were  pretty  tired  when  we  got  back. 
The  Colonel  and  I  had  a  tent  to  sleep  in,  but  the  men 
had  nothing  to  do  but  lie  down  in  the  mud  and  let  it 
rain.  Most  of  them  stood  up  round  the  fires  all  night  to 
keep  warm.  I  managed  to  get  two  dozen  bottles  of  whis- 
key from  the  sutler,  which  he  had  brought  for  officers, 
and  distributed  it  so  that  each  man  got  a  small  drink  of 
hot  whiskey  and  water.  I  stayed  out  till  eleven  o'clock 
in  the  rain  doing  it.  I  then  came  in,  took  off  my  stock- 
ings and  pants,  which  were  wet  through,  rubbed  my  feet 
dry,  and  lay  down  and  slept  soundly  enough.  I  woke 
all  right  in  the  morning.  It  was  still  raining,  and  is  to- 
day, the  third  day.  I  hope  it  will  stop  soon.  This  has 
delayed  the  advance  very  much,  as  it  is  impossible  to 
move  artillery. 

John  Putnam  is  going  back  to  Fort  Monroe  ;  he 
can't  stand  this,  it  is  too  rough  for  him.  Riddle,  the 
same. 

Two  or  three  of  the  officers  are  sick,  but  I  am  as  well 
as  ever.  Arthur  is  a  little  unwell  to-day,  but  you 
need  n't  tell  his  mother,  because  he  will  be  all  right  to- 
morrow, and  she  would  be  only  worried.  General  Sum- 
ner  arrived  to-day  with  the  rest  of  his  corps.  I  have  n't 
Been  General  McClellan  since  he  passed  on  the  road. 
He  is  here.  Colonel  Lee  is  at  the  fort.  He  will  not 
join  us  at  present,  he  thinks. 

Love  to  all.  W. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.      39 

Sunday  Eve. 
CAMP  BEFORE  YORKTOWN,  April  20,  1862. 

DEAR  MOTHER  :  —  It  is  just  six  months  ago  to-night 
since  we  crossed  over  to  Harrison's  Island  and  Ball's 
Bluff.  We  are  having  very  hard  duty  just  now,  and 
shall  have  for  some  time.  We  are  camped  in  the  same 
swamp,  within  three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  ene- 
my's works.  We  have  to  go  out  every  third  day  and 
picket  the  whole  brigade,  close  to  them.  Day  before 
yesterday  we  were  out;  we  go  again  to-morrow.  We 
were  firing  all  day,  whenever  we  saw  anything  to  shoot 
at.  We  had  one  of  our  men  badly  wounded  in  the  breast. 
Last  night  we  were  turned  out  twice  by  a  brisk  volley  of 
musketry,  which  seemed  just  on  the  edge  of  the  camp. 
Our  pickets  were  driven  in,  and  the  firing  lasted  about 
fifteen  minutes.  Some  of  the  bullets  dropped  into  the 
camp.  They  were  driven  back  without  our  going  out. 
We  were  turned  out  again  at  two,  and  stood  in  the  rain 
and  mud.  This  morning  we  expected  a  quiet  day,  al- 
though the  camp  was  all  water  and  mud  ;  raining  hard. 
About  ten,  sharp  firing  commenced,  and  we  had  to  fall 
in,  and  our  two  brigades  were  marched  out  to  the  front, 
where  the  other  brigade  was  on  picket.  We  expected 
that  we  were  in  for  a  fight,  as  Sunday  is  the  favorite  day. 
We  lay  out  in  the  woods  all  day  in  the  rain,  and  came  in 
to-night  without  doing  anything ;  they  did  not  see  fit  to 
attack.  We  keep  up  a  continual  shelling  of  their  works. 
To-morrow  we  take  our  turn  again.  I  suppose  we  shall 
be  turned  out  once  or  twice  to-night ;  that 's  why  I  am 
in  no  hurry  to  go  to  bed,  as  I  want  to  wait  until  after 
the  first  turn-out.  I  hope  it  won't  rain  to-morrow  while 
Ve  are  out.  I  am  fortunate  in  being  so  well,  many  of 
Jie  officers  being  sick  with  diarrhrea. 


40      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

We  may  have  a  week  or  more  of  this  sort  of  duty 
before  the  grand  attack.  It  is  very  unpleasant  duty.  No 
glory  in  being  shot  by  a  picket  behind  a  tree.  It  is 
regular  Indian  fighting.  I  have  not  been  exposed  much. 
I  got  a  letter  from  you  day  before  yesterday.  I  expect 
to  hear  the  rattle  of  musketry  every  minute,  but  I  am 
going  to  try  and  get  some  sleep.  This  is  trie  hard  part 
of  a  soldier's  life ;  the  battle  would  be  a  holiday  as  a  re- 
lief from  this.  It  will  be  pleasant  to  look  back  on  this, 
if  I  ever  get  back,  and  hear  the  rain  beat  on  the  cupola 
and  think  of  the  nights  I  have  lain  out  in  it  in  the  woods, 
listening  to  the  pickets  firing  and  the  shells  bursting,  wet 
and  dirty.  When  it  does  n't  rain  it  is  very  hot.  Night 
before  last,  I  lay  in  the  woods  under  the  sky,  without 
anything  over  me  except  my  overcoat.  The  great  trouble 
here  is  from  wood-ticks  ;  they  get  on  to  you  and  bury 
their  head  in  you,  and  you  can't  pull  them  out  without 
pulling  their  heads  off,  which  makes  a  bad  sore.  The 
only  way  is  to  cut  them  out.  I  have  only  had  one  fasten 
on  me  yet,  although  I  have  stopped  four  or  five  before 
they  got  hold.  These  trouble  us  a  great  deal  more  than 
the  rebel  bullets.  I  must  stop  here,  as  it  is  getting  late. 
It  is  a  certain  thing  that  we  shall  be  turned  out  under 
arms  about  the  time  I  get  to  sleep. 

Good  night.     Love  to  all.  W. 

On  the  24th  of  April,  1862,  Captain  Bartlett 
was  with  his  regiment  at  the  outposts  in  front  of 
Yorktown.  While  at  the  outer  line,  kneeling, 
and  examining  the  enemy  through  his  field-glass, 
he  received  a  wound  from  a  sharp-shooter's  rifle 
which  cost  him  his  leg.  His  entry  in  his  journal 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       41 

is  as  follows :  "  While  I  was  visiting  the  pick- 
ets, watching  the  enemy  with  my  glass,  a  sharp- 
shooter hit  me  in  the  knee  with  a  minie"  ball, 
shattering  the  bone  down  to  my  ankle.  Dr.  Hay- 
ward  amputated  it  four  inches  above  the  knee, 
and  I  started  for  Baltimore  in  the  same  after- 
noon." Only  this  and  nothing  more. 

He  was  carried  to  the  rear  on  a  stretcher  very 
soon  after  he  received  the  wound,  and  the  opera- 
tion was  performed  at  once.  The  writer  was  with 
him  all  the  time.  He  looked  up  once  and  said, 
"  It 's  rough,  Frank,  is  n't  it  ?  "  and  this  was  the 
solitary  word  of  complaint  that  escaped  him. 

His  fine,  slender  figure  had  by  this  time  filled 
out  to  be  a  magnificent  specimen  of  manly  vigor, 
and  it  was  a  pitiful  sight  to  see  it  so  maimed. 

He  remained  in  Baltimore  several  weeks,  and 
then  went  to  his  home  in  Massachusetts.  He 
recovered  his  strength  rapidly,  though  his  suffer- 
ings were  constant  and  often  acute,  but  he  bore 
them  with  admirable  cheerfulness  and  fortitude, 
and  he  was  able  to  get  much  enjoyment  out  of  the 
months  he  passed  at  home.  He  went  to  the  class- 
day  of  his  class  at  Harvard,  received  his  degree  at 
Commencement,  and  was  treated  with  admiring 
cordiality  and  attention  wherever  he  went.  The 
following  letters  give  some  details  of  the  manner 
in  which  he  received  his  wound,  of  the  spirit  in 
which  he  accepted  it,  and  of  the  progress  of  his 
recovery,  and  also  show  his  interest  in  his  regi- 
¥ient  and  his  loyalty  to  it. 


42      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

4 

BEFORE  YOKKTOWN,  VA.,  April  25,  1862. 
C.  L.  BARTLETT,  ESQ.  :  — 

My  dear  Sir,  —  Yesterday  morning  the  Twentieth 
Regiment  was  detailed  for  picket  duty.  Captain  Bart- 
lett  went  out  a  little  before  noon  to  visit  the  advanced 
posts.  He  found  what  he  considered  a  good  and  safe 
position  for  observing  the  enemy.  He  knelt  down  be- 
hind a  tree  and  watched  their  movements  through  a 
giass.  He  had  been  watching  them  some  ten  minutes, 
when  he  received  a  shot  from  a  rifle  in  his  left  knee. 
A  litter  was  sent  for  him  and  he  was  brought  to  the 
rear.  When  I  got  to  him  his  color  had  not  left  him, 
and  he  was  suffering  only  at  intervals,  when  spasms  of 
pain  seized  him  for  a  moment,  and  quickly  passed  and 
left  him  comparatively  comfortable  again.  His  thought- 
fulness  for  others  and  self-forgetfulness  were  shown  by 
his  repeatedly  urging  me  to  leave  him,  as  I  was  suf- 
fering from  a  slight  lameness.  He  was  carried  to  a 
house  near  by,  and  then  the  surgeons  gave  him  chloro- 
form and  examined  his  wound.  Drs.  Hayward  and 
Crehore  of  the  Twentieth,  Dr.  Haven  of  the  Fifteenth, 
and  Dr.  Clark,  a  surgeon  from  Worcester,  were  unani- 
mous in  the  opinion  that  amputation  was  not  only 
proper,  but  necessary.  I  urged  upon  them  to  be  sure, 
before  proceeding,  that  there  was  no  chance  of  recovery, 
and  that  it  would  not  do  to  delay  for  consultation  with 
other  surgeons. 

They  assured  me  positively  that  there  was  no  room 
for  doubt,  and  that  the  operation  must  be  performed 
jnmediately;  that  the  ball  had  totally  destroyed  the 
knee  joint,  and  shivered  and  destroyed  the  bone  of  the 
leg  for  six  inches  below  ;  furthermore  that  delay  would 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       43 

materially  diminish  the  chances  of  recovery.  The  leg 
was  taken  off  by  Dr.  Hayward,  in  the  lower  third  of  the 
portion  above  the  knee.  Examination  made  subse- 
quently fully  confirmed  the  opinions  of  the  surgeons, 
and  Brigade  Surgeons  Crosby  and  Dougherty,  and  Dr 
Liddell,  Medical  Director  of  the  Division,  who  arrived 
presently,  pronounced  everything  well  and  wisely  dono, 
and  every  one  of  the  surgeons  were  of  the  opinion  that 
your  son  had  gone  through  the  operation  most  favorably. 
He  suffered  a  good  deal  after  he  returned  to  conscious- 
ness, but  not  to  the  point  of  faintness.  His  suffer- 
ings arose  mostly  from  the  necessary  dressings.  He 
bore  the  announcement  of  what  had  been  done  very 
firmly,  and  told  me  that  he  had  expected  it.  Every  ex- 
ertion was  made  to  put  him  at  once  on  his  way  to  Wash- 
ington, and  he  presently  started  for  York  River,  in  a 
four  horse  ambulance,  attended  by  Dr.  Clark  and  my 
servant,  who  is  as  gentle  as  a  woman,  and  who  has  a 
strong  feeling  of  personal  attachment  for  your  son. 
There  went  with  him,  also,  seven  or  eight  stout  fellows 
of  his  own  company,  to  carry  him  on  a  litter,  should  the 
motion  of  the  ambulance  increase  his  sufferings. 

His  color  returned  soon  after  the  operation  was  ended, 
his  smile  was  ready  and  sweet,  his  eyes  clear,  the  grasp 
of  his  hand  and  the  tone  of  his  voice  firm.  I  hardly 
need  tell  you  that  he  bore  his  fate  with  his  own  gallant 
spirit,  and  that  he  did  not  break  down  for  a  moment. 
His  escort  report  that  he  arrived  safely  at  the  river,  and 
was  there  placed  on  board  the  Commodore. 

To  you  who  know  so  well  my  opinion  of  your  son's 
merits,  and  what  close  companionship  has  existed  be- 
tween us  for  six  months,  I  need  say  little  of  the  afflic- 


44       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

tion  that  this  event  causes  me.  The  loss  to  the  regi- 
ment is  terrible,  and  officers  and  men  unite  with  me  in 
lamenting  the  misfortune.  Your  son  was  the  most  bril- 
liant soldier  I  have  known  in  the  Volunteer  Army,  and 
I  anticipated  for  him  the  highest  distinction.  You  have 
my  sincerest  sympathy,  you  and  Mrs.  Bartlett  and  your 
daughters,  in  this  painful  moment,  and  my  love  and  ad- 
miration for  your  son  cause  me  to  feel  the  most  bitter 
sorrow  at  this  heavy  calamity. 

Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

F.  W.  PALFREY,  Lieut.-coL,  ComcTg. 
The  surgeons  encourage  me  to  believe  that  he  will 
be  comparatively  comfortable  in  a  day  or  two. 

FROM    CAPTAIN   BARTLETT's    MOTHER. 

BALTIMORE,  May  8,  1862. 
Thursday. 

When  this  note  may  reach  you,  or  where,  1  have  no 
idea,  but  I  will  "draw  a  bow  at  a  venture,"  knowing  you 
will  be  very  glad  to  hear  of  the  progress  of  my  patient. 
Several  days  have  passed  since  I  wrote,  and  he  has  been 
improving  in  general  health  and  strength,  and  looking 
more  like  himself  than  I  supposed  he  would  in  so  short 
a  time.  The  main  cause  of  his  troubles  gives  him  al- 
most constant  twinges  of  pain,  and  he  suffers  much,  al- 
though he  tries  to  make  very  light  of  it 

Your  last  favor  was  written  May  1st,  but  you  have 
since  been  on  the  move,  and  Frank  misses  your  cheer- 
ful, kindly  missives.  I  had  written  thus  far  when  the 
postman  left  your  note  of  the  3d,  and  I  have  just  fin- 
ished reading  it,  and  will  let  the  one  to  whom  it  is  ad- 
dressed dictate  his  own  response. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       45 

Mr  DEAR  FRANK,  —  I  have  just  heard  read  your  short 
note  of  the  3d,  and  am  glad  for  your  sake  that  you  have 
the  little  Colonel  and  Major  back  again.  I  am  very 
sorry  that  I  did  not  see  them  when  they  passed  through 
here.  I  expected  them  every  time  the  door  bell  rang 
for  three  or  four  days.  They  probably  had  to  go  right 
through.  Give  my  love  to  the  Colonel ;  tell  him  I  shall 
hope  to  see  him  before  long.  Remember  me  to  the 
Major  too.  What  do  they  do  for  horses  ?  I  should  like 
to  know  where  you  are  this  morning.  I  hope  your  foot 
did  not  trouble  you  when  the  advance  was  made.  Were 
you  not  taken  by  surprise  ? 

Your  "  Fourth  of  July  cocktail "  at  Pitcher's  looks  more 
practicable  every  day.  I  shall  get  to  Boston  before  you, 
though.  I  will  have  the  house  got  ready  and  the  table 
spread  against  the  time  you  come.  I  shall  be  round  on 
crutches  (doubtful)  in  a  week,  at  least  that  is  my  plan. 
I  am  going  to  have  a  man  here  to  measure  me  for  them 
to-day.  Like  being  measured  for  a  coffin,  is  it  not? 
Mother  writes  that  last  under  protest. 

My  leg  has  given  me  a  good  deal  of  pain  since  yester- 
day, owing  to  its  being  too  tightly  bandaged.  The  last 
ligature  is  away,  and  it  ought  to  heal  rapidly  now.  The 
foot  that  is  gone  pains  me  most.  It  would  seem  that 
somebody  made  it  their  amusement  playing  "  stick -knife  " 
on  it  a  greater  part  of  the  time.  I  am  much  better  able 
to  bear  it  now  than  when  I  was  weak.  I  smoked  my 
first  cigarette  day  before  yesterday,  winning  thereby  a 
box  of  cigars  from  my  cousin,  who  foolishly  wagered  that 
amount  that  I  would  not  smoke  for  three  weeks.  Do 
you  know  it  is  just  two  weeks  to-day  since  I  "  stopped " 
%o  neatly  that  pretty  little  bullet  at  just  about  this  hour  ? 


46      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

I  think  I  am  very  well  advanced.  I  wrote  Little  yes- 
terday, and  gave  him  a  short  lecture  about  his  signature. 
How  does  the  boy  Arthur  get  along?  You  must  take 
him  under  your  special  protection  now  that  I  am  away. 
I  guess  I  will  resign  in  favor  of  Mother.  I  must  get 
my  foot  into  better  discipline.  I  cannot  have  it  going 
on  this  way.  Give  a  great  deal  of  love  to  all  the  fellows, 
and  what  you  please  for  yourself,  from  your  FRANK. 

The  above  was  jerked  out  between  spasms  of  dread- 
ful pain.  The  surgeon  has  been  here  since,  and  relieved 
him  somewhat,  and  assures  me  it  is  doing  remarkably 
well. 

FROM   CAPTAIN    BARTLETT. 

BALTIMORE,  Sunday  Morning,  May  11. 
I  fear  daily  lest  your  kind  disposition  shall  cause  you 
to  take  too  much  trouble  in  my  behalf.  I  know  that  it 
cannot  be  convenient  for  you  to  write  me  every  day  so 
faithfully ;  and  much  as  I  delight  in  your  letters,  I  am 
distressed  by  the  thought  that  you  are  putting  yourself 
to  too  much  trouble  sometimes.  I  beg  you  won't  feel 
obliged  to  write  every  day,  only  when  it  is  perfectly 

convenient 

At  this  point  enter  Dr.  at  "  L.  C."  Exeunt  writing 
materials,  etc.,  R.  U.  E.,  "  with  life."  (Patient  looking 
very  innocent.) 

Dr.  "  Pulse  a  little  fast  this  morning,  probably  from 
sitting  up." 

Patient.     "  Yes  sir,  I  suppose  so."     (At  this  point 
enter  second  Dr.,  son  of  first,  and  the  language  becomes 
technical.)  .... 
The  scenes  have  been  shifted  (t.  e.,  the  bandages). 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.      4? 

The  Drs.  have  retired,  everything  is  going  on  well. 
I  am  now  at  liberty  to  resume  my  writing,  and  make 
those  pulse  move  a  little  faster  again. 

I  wish  I  were  with  you  this  pleasant  Sunday  morning, 
or  at  least  knew  exactly  where  you  were. 

We  hear  of  Franklin's  and  Sedgwick's  Divisions  being 
engaged,  and  are  anxious  for  particulars,  but  can  get 
none.  The  general  report  is,  you  were  entirely  vic- 
torious, with  the  odds  against  you.  We  shall  hear 
soon. 

I  find  my  sword-arm  is  getting  a  little  tired,  and  I 
shall  have  to  let  mother  vibrate  her  smoothly  swinging 
goose  plume.  (N.  B.  she  writes  with  a  quill.) 

The  weather  is  delightful  and  most  favorable  to  me. 
I  see  much  people,  now,  daily. 

I  wish  you  would  ask  one  Hayward,  in  your  regiment, 
if  he  intends  to  answer  a  letter  that  I  wrote  him  some 
months  since,  when  I  was  first  brought  here. 

Give  a  great  deal  of  love  to  the  Colonel  and  all  the 
fellows,  and  believe  me  as  ever, 

Yours  most  devotedly, 

FRANK. 

News  this  morning  that  Norfolk,  navy-yard  and  all, 
is  taken.  It  may  be  true.  All  anxious  to  hear  of  your 
movements.  F. 

P.  S.  Quite  a  long  letter  for  the  first  attempt 
isn't  it  ? 

P.    S.      WRITTEN   BY   CAPTAIN   BARTLETT's    MOTHER. 

Frank  has  left  me  little  to  say ;  to  be  truthful,  his  pic- 
ture should  be  shaded  a  little  ;  but  he  looks  only  on  the 
bright  side. 


48       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

He  is,  I  have  no  doubt,  doing  remarkably  well ;  so  the 
surgeon  assures  me  every  day.  Still,  he  suffers  intensely, 
at  times,  and  this  has  been  a  very  hard  day  for  him. 
He  has  scarcely  been  free  from  pain  a  moment,  and  the 
worst  is  in  the  poor  shattered  foot  and  leg  which  is 
gone.  He  says,  "Ask  the  Colonel  if  they  gave  my  leg 
Christian  burial,  for  my  foot  torments  me  as  if  it  were 
ill  at  rest." 

I  had  nearly  forgotten  to  say,  that  att  your  letters 
have  been  received,  but  not  in  the  order  in  which  they 
were  written.  The  last  bears  date  May  4,  8  P.  if.,  and 
we  are  now  anxiously  looking  for  news  from  "West  Point, 
which  is  the  last  place  where  your  Division  is  spoken  of 
as  being  engaged. 

FROM   CAPTAIN   BARTLETT. 

BALTIMORE,  May  14. 

Delighted  by  the  receipt  of  two  of  your  pleasant  let- 
ters this  morning,  bearing  dates  of  the  7th,  8th,  and  9th. 

It  comforted  me  to  learn  that  "  grim  visaged  war  " 
had  "  smoothed  his  wrinkled  front "  even  a  little ;  and 
that  you  were  comparatively  comfortable,  and  positively 
in  good  spirits. 

I  was  very  anxious  to  hear  from  you  after  I  heard 
that  Sedgwick's  Division  had  been  engaged  at  West 
Point.  Tell  Arthur  that  I  received  his  letter  of  the  8th 
yesterday. 

You  are  right  in  supposing  that  I  am  made  as  com- 
fortable as  is  possible;  everything  imaginable  is  done 
for  my  convenience  and  gratification.  But  they  can  t 
occupy  my  mind  so  that  it  won't  turn  southward  with  a 
longing,  homesick  feeling,  mingled  with  a  vain  regret 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       49 

at  being  snatched  away  just  at  the  moment  when  we 
were  about  to  see  something  of  glorious  and  victorious 
war. 

I  take  hardly  any  interest  in  the  war  news  now,  ex- 
cepting that  which  immediately  concerns  you.  I  dread 
positively  to  hear  of  a  great  victory,  as  it  seems  to  put 
narrower  limits  to  the  time  that  I  must  get  well  in,  if  I 
would  be  "  in  at  the  death."  I  am  far,  mind  you,  from 
complaining  of  my  lot.  I  think  I  am  indeed  fortunate 
in  making  so  successful  a  recovery,  and  in  reaching  such 
delightful  quarters.  But,  still  it  is  hard  to  banish  the 
feeling,  that  I  was  taken  away  without  having  effected 
anything,  and  at  a  time  when  every  one  was  most  needed 

at  his  post 

With  a  great  deal  of  love,  I  am  always 

Yours, 
FRANK. 

WINTHBOP,  July  7,  1862. 

My  last  date  from  you  is  Fair  Oaks,  June  25th. 
How  much  has  happened  to  you  since  then  !  I  am  very 
anxious  to  hear  from  you.  I  dread  to  look  at  the  pa- 
pers, lest  I  shall  see  the  name  of  some  one  I  love  among 
the  "  killed."  I  almost  wish  I  could  see  yours  among 
the  "  slightly  wounded,"  for  then  I  could  feel  that  you 
were  safe,  and  that  I  was  about  to  see  you 

I  have  not  any  decided  opinion  as  yet  on  this  last 
move.  It  seems  to  have  been  that  movement  laid  down 
in  tactics  as  the  most  dangerous  —  a  change  of  front  in 
the  presence  of  the  enemy. 

You  seem  to  have  fought  the  move  through  like  tigers, 
against  great  odds,  and  have  made  them  pay  very  dearly 


50      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

for  their  attempted  interruption.  The  Twentieth  is 
mentioned  with  especial  honor  for  its  steady  and  delib- 
erate fire,  etc.,  etc. 

I  hope  the  report  of  "  Twentieth,  Captain  Lowell, 
killed,"  may  not  prove  true.  It  would  be  very  sad  to 
have  it  confirmed. 

I  told  you  in  one  of  my  last  letters  of  the  "set-back 
that  my  leg  seemed  to  have  received.  I  told  you  it 
was  n't  dangerous.  I  was  right.  It  has  gone  on  mend- 
ing ever  since,  and  now  I  think  is  as  well  as  it  was 
before,  and  I  think  I  have  less  pain.  So  perhaps  I  did 
it  good  by  "  tapping  it."  .... 

You  speak  of  my  leaving  the  Twentieth.  Many 
friends  here  have  offered  to  use  their  influence  to  place 
me  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  new  regiments.  I  have 
been  very  grateful  for  the  offers,  of  course,  but  have  in- 
variably discountenanced  them.  You  know  that  I  had 
rather  be  a  captain  in  the  Twentieth  than  colonel  of 
any  regiment  that  may  be  raised. 

Promotion  in  the  Twentieth  would  have  been  very 
pleasant  to  me  when  it  brought  me  nearer  you.  But, 
since  the  21st  of  October  last,  my  happiness  could  not 
have  been  increased  by  the  addition  of  the  golden  leaf. 

No  man  is  half  a  soldier  who  does  not  seek  promo- 
tion, but  if  mine  should  be  occasioned  by  the  execution 
of  your  oft-uttered  threat,  to  "  leave  the  service  when 
Richmond  is  ours,"  I  hope  you  will  believe  that  it 
would  have  lost  its  greatest  charm. 

In  my  heart  (as  I  used  to  hint  to  you),  I  firmly  be- 
lieve, and  more  earnestly  hope,  that  we  shall  take  our 
honorable  discharges  together,  when  the  "  scarred  and 
war-worn  veterans  "  of  the  Twentieth  shall  be  mustered 
out  of  service  on  Boston  Common.  Nous  verrons. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       51 

....  No  one  here  suspects  my  impatience  to  rejoin 
you,  or  my  unfounded  regrets  at  the  tardiness  of  a  re- 
covery which  has  in  fact  been  unusually  rapid. 
Such  is  poor  human  nature 

God  keep  you  in  safety  through  the  midst  of  danger, 
is  the  daily  prayer  of  Yours, 

FRANK. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  1862,  he  was  offered 
the  command  of  a  camp  at  Pittsfield,  Massachu- 
setts, known  as  Camp  Bfiggs,  where  the  Forty- 
ninth  Regiment  Massachusetts  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, a  nine  months'  regiment,  was  then  assem- 
bling. He  accepted  the  offer  with  some  reluc- 
tance, and  assumed  command  of  the  post  on  the 
20th  of  the  same  month.  His  going  to  Pittsfield 
had  an  important  influence  upon  his  life,  for  it 
was  there  that  he  met  the  lady  whom  he  married 
at  the  end  of  the  war,  and  there  that  he  made  his 
home  for  most  of  the  years  of  peace  which  he 
lived  to  see.  Mr.  Johns,  who  has  told  extremely 
well  the  story  of  "  Life  with  the  Forty-ninth 
Massachusetts  Volunteers,"  thus  records  the  im- 
pression he  made  at  first  sight :  "  His  appearance 
denotes  much  of  intelligent  energy,  and  his  gen- 
tlemanly manner,  his  soldierly  bearing  (for  he 
looks  the  soldier  even  on  crutches),  and  our  sym- 
pathy with  hirn  in  his  great  loss,  have  made  him 
at  once  a  universal  favorite."  The  favorable  im- 
pression which  he  made  at  first  was  deepened  as 
officers  and  men  came  to  know  him  more.  His 


52      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

popularity  was  based  upon  a  sense  of  his  merit, 
and  grew  steadily,  notwithstanding  the  personal 
reserve  which  was  natural  to  him,  and  to  which 
the  average  native  American  volunteer  was  quite 
unaccustomed.  The  way  in  which  he  drilled  the 
men  in  the  manual,  without  crutches,  and  going 
through  each  motion  with  the  musket  himself, 
was  very  remarkable,  and  seems  almost  incredible 
in  the  telling.  Mr.  Johns  says,  writing  when  the 
Bight  was  a  frequent  occurrence  :  "  It  is  a  treat  to 
see  that  man  go  through  the  manual  of  arms. 
He  puts  such  a  finish,  such  a  vim  to  every  motion. 
For  two  hours  at  a  time  he  will  stand  on  that  re- 
maining leg,  till  half  of  us  believe  he  never  had 
any  need  of  the  one  buried  at  Yorktown,  but  it 
was  only  a  superfluous  member  or  mere  orna- 
ment. If  the  Colonel  (I  will  call  him  such) 
needs  rest,  he  takes  it  as  a  part  of  the  exercise,  so 
we  cannot  tell  which  is  manual  of  arms  and  which 
rest.  The  cords  of  that  right  leg  must  stand  out 
like  great  whip-lashes.  There  is  will  about  all 
this.  It  is  this  quiet,  intense  determination,  this 
fixedness  of  will,  that  makes  us  desire  Colonel 
Bartlett,  with  but  one  leg,  for  our  commander, 
over  any  other  man  with  the  full  complement  of 
limbs.  Somehow  or  other,  we  cannot  tell  why, 
we  believe  that  he  will  not  be  the  mere  buffet  of 
circumstances,  but  will  ride  over  and  lead  us  over 
all  difficulties."  The  Forty-ninth  was  a  regiment 
in  which  the  right  of  election  of  oflicers  was  rec- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       53 

ognized.  The  formal  election  took  place  on  the 
10th  of  November,  1862,  and  he  was  elected 
Colonel,  receiving  all  the  votes  cast.  The  elec- 
tion took  place  at  Camp  Wool,  at  Worcester, 
Massachusetts,  to  which  point  the  regiment  had 
moved  about  ten  days  before.  A  short  time 
after,  he  appeared  with  his  first  artificial  leg. 

On  the  28th  of  November,  the  regiment  left 
Worcester,  and  proceeded  by  cars  and  boat  to 
New  York,  from  which  it  moved,  on  the  4th  of 
the  following  month,  to  Camp  Banks,  on  Long 
Island,  Before  it  left  the  city,  the  regiment,  in 
full  dress,  made  a  parade  march  up  Broadway. 
The  "Home  Journal"  of  the  day  published  an 
article  headed,  "  A  Colonel  with  a  Crutch,"  from 
which  the  following  extracts  are  taken,  to  show 
how  Colonel  Bartlett  impressed  a  spectator  at 
that  time  :  — 

"  Our  own  chief  object  of  interest  was  the  Colonel  in 
command,  armed,  as  we  above  mentioned,  with  the  very 
unaccustomed  weapon  of  a  crutph. 

"  The  Colonel  ....  was  mounted  on  a  Vermont  horse. 
....  The  equipments,  as  well  as  the  limbs  of  the  rider, 
were  apparently  all  complete,  each  long  boot  with  its 
spur  riding  gracefully  in  its  stirrup.  Pistols  and  sword 
were  in  their  places.  At  the  horseman's  back,  however, 
poised  like  the  long  spear  at  the  back  of  the  lancer, 
swung  the  strange  implement  which  told  the  story,  —  a 
long  crutch  with  velvet  handle,  betraying  the  wooden 
leg  for  which  it  stood  ready  to  do  service With 


54      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

the  wounds  of  his  amputation  healed,  the  heroic  soldier 
was  now  returning  to  active  duty,  leading  his  regiment  to 
the  field  with  an  alacrity  that  was  little  like  a  cripple." 

The  Colonel  was  already  getting  a  strong  hold 
upon  his  regiment.  In  the  Long  Island  camp,  on 
the  6th  of  January,  Mr.  Johns  wrote :  "  Daily 
he  draws  the  reins  of  discipline  tighter,  but  with 
such  judgment  that  we  are  learning  subordination 
without  complaining."  At  this  same  camp  he 
had  some  experience  of  a  command  larger  than 
that  of  a  regiment.  When  General  Banks  sailed 
for  New  Orleans  with  the  bulk  of  the  forces  des- 
tined for  operations  in  that  neighborhood,  a  force 
of  several  thousand  men  was  left  behind  for  a 
while,  under  General  Andrews.  General  An- 
drews went  to  Boston  twice  before  this  part  of 
the  expeditionary  force  left  New  York,  and  each 
time  he  left  Colonel  Bartlett,  though  a  junior 
colonel,  in  command.  One  of  these  absences 
lasted  for  six  days,  and  thus  the  young  Colonel 
was  placed  in  a  position  of  much  responsibility 
and  of  no  little  labor.  The  following  letters  date 
from  this  period,  and  describe  his  life,  and  the 
manner  in  which,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  he 
exerted  himself  to  perform  every  duty  which  de- 
volved upon  him. 

HEADQUARTERS  REMAINDER  BANKS'  EXPEDITION, 
No.  194  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK,  December  31,  1862. 

....  As  regards  myself,  I  ride  with  ease,  hardly 
frith  comfort.     My  horse  is  wild,  fractious,  and  stubborn. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.      55 

He  is  a  valuable  beast,  of  great  strength,  endurance,  and 
mettle.  But  I  am  not  exactly  in  condition  now  to  break 
a  wild  brute.  He  rears  with  me,  jumps,  etc.  My 
friends  beg  me  not  to  ride  him,  and  I  have  not  mounted 
him  for  a  week.  My  man,  a  splendid  horseman,  rides 
him  hard  every  day,  and  is  breaking  him.  I  am  looking 
for  another  one,  more  gentle,  and  may  keep  both.  It  is 
a  delightful  sensation  to  me,  to  move  about  on  a  horse 
after  hobbling  around  on  crutches  so  long. 

You  will  wonder  at  the  heading  of  this  letter.  Gen- 
eral Andrews  sent  for  me  and  desired  me  to  take  com- 
mand during  his  absence  of  a  week  or  so,  notwithstand- 
ing my  telling  him  that  my  commission  must  be  one  of 
the  youngest  of  the  eight  still  here.  So  that  my  com- 
mand is  just  now  about  eight  thousand, — rather  ridicu- 
lous, is  n't  it?  ....  My  regiment  I  am  getting  into 
excellent  order.  I  drill  the  non-coms,  in  the  manual, 
an  hour  every  morning,  standing  on  one  leg.  In  the 
afternoon,  I  drill  the  whole  line  in  the  manual  an  hour 
and  a  half.  I  visit  the  guard  every  night  after  twelve, 
to  see  that  the  officer  of  the  guard  and  day  are  doing 
their  duty,  etc.,  etc.  The  officers  and  men  are  all  inter- 
ested in  their  work  and  everything  goes  well 

HEADQUARTERS  REMAINDER  BANKS'  EXPEDITION, 
No.  194  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK,  January  3,  1863. 

....  A  great  many  perplexing  questions  have  come 
up  during  the  week,  involving  heavy  responsibilities,  — 
the  ordering  of  the  various  ships  to  sea,  —  telegraphing 
with  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  Secretary  of 
War  in  regard  to  duties  on  coal,  etc.,  etc. 

I  have  kept  a  stiff  upper  lip.     Imagine   me  being 


56      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

asked  for  advice  and  authority  to  do  this  and  that,  by 
Commodore  Van  Brunt,  Commodore  Vanderbilt,  U.  S. 
quartermasters  here,  and  "sich  like."  In  cases  of 
doubt,  which  have  required  my  authority  and  decision, 
I  have  kept  an  old  maxim  of  mine  before  me.  Do  that, 
which  according  to  your  impartial  judgment,  tends  most 
to  promote  the  "  good  of  the  service." 

It  has  carried  me  safely  through  so  far 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1863,  the  regiment 
sailed  for  New  Orleans  in  the  steamer  Illinois. 
They  had  very  bad  weather  for  a  week,  and 
the  country-bred  men  of  Western  Massachusetts 
who  filled  the  ranks  suffered  excessively  from 
seasickness.  When  the  vessel  had  passed  Key 
West,  and  had  gotten  into  smoother  water,  the 
Colonel  did  a  wise  thing  for  the  health  of  his 
men.  On  the  1st  of  February,  Sunday,  he  writes 
in  his  journal :  "  As  cleanliness  is  next  to  godli- 
ness, I  think  I  have  observed  the  day  very  well. 
I  have  had  every  man  in  the  regiment  thoroughly 
washed.  I  had  one  company  at  a  time  marched 
up  forward,  stripped,  and  a  stream  of  salt  water 
from  the  large  force  pump  and  hose  played  over 
them I  sate  out  forward  in  the  sun  super- 
intending it  all  the  morning  until  three  o'clock." 

On  the  7th  of  February  the  regiment  reached 
New  Orleans,  and  at  once  moved  up  the  river 
to  Carrolton,  where  General  Emory's  Division 
was  encamped,  but  it  did  not  disembark  and  go 
into  camp  until  the  9th.  Things  must  have 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       57 

been  poorly  managed  in  the  Department  of  the 
Gulf  at  that  time,  for  Colonel  Bartlett  records  on 
the  7th  that  supper  was  the  first  meal  he  ate 
that  day,  and  again  on  the  llth :  "  I  had  no  way 
of  getting  breakfast  this  morning  when  I  got 
up,  so  I  went  without.  The  same  at  dinner-time, 
so  I  went  without,  and  till  six  P.  M.  I  did  not 
put  a  mouthful  of  anything  to  eat  or  drink  in  my 

mouth I  wonder  what  a  row  there  would 

be  if  a  private  soldier  'had  to  go  without  eating 
for  twenty-four  hours.  I  am  glad  to  find  I  can 
do  it  with  ease  in  case  of  need." 

On  the  14th  of  the  same  month  he  estab- 
lished in  his  camp  the  practice  of  the  field,  staff, 
and  company  officers  reporting  to  the  Colonel  at 
reveille*.  He  had  seen  this  custom  followed  in 
the  camp  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  and  there 
learned  its  value. 

The  camp  was  on  low  ground,  and  the  rains, 
which  were  frequent,  laid  it  under  water.  On 
the  15th  of  February,  it  was  a  foot  under  water, 
and  the  ridge  on  which  the  Colonel's  tent  stood, 
was,  he  says,  actually  the  only  land  in  sight. 
The  state  of  the  weather  made  it  hard  for  every 
one,  and  interfered  with  work.  It  was  little  bet- 
ter in  the  tents  than  outside. 

On  the  16th,  orders  came  to  proceed  by  steamer 
to  Baton  Rouge.  It  was  dark  when  the  embar- 
kation began.  Colonel  Bartlett  stood  up  over 
the  gangway  superintending  the  work  on  the  bag- 


58      MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

gage,  and  at  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing he  fell  asleep  sitting  on  the  rail,  and  it  was 
not  till  four  in  the  morning,  when  everything 
was  on  board,  that  he  left  the  deck.  On  the 
18th,  the  regiment  arrived  at  Baton  Rouge,  and 
encamped  on  very  good  ground  as  a  part  of  the 
first  brigade  of  Augur's  Division. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  he  was  general  offi- 
cer of  the  day  for  the  first  time,  and  he  was  six 
hours  in  the  saddle  visiting  the  outposts.  The 
fatiguing  duty  did  not  tire  him  so  much  that 
he  did  not  find  time  and  disposition  to  draw  a 
very  intelligible  sketch  of  the  roads  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  of  the  position  of  the  troops.  On 
the  24th  he  writes :  "  I  should  be  content  to  have 
it  rain  to-morrow,  that  I  might  write  all  day. 
Otherwise  my  duties  self-imposed  keep  me  busy 
all  the  time.  I  am  glad  enough  to  go  to  bed 
at  nine  o'clock,  and  sorry  enough  to  hear  the 
roll  of  the  drum  which  makes  me  get  up  at 
six  A.  M The  regiment  is  improving  con- 
stantly. I  keep  at  work  on  them  all  the  time. 
It  is  consoling  to  know  and  feel  that  I  am  doing 
the  country  such  good  service  as  making  soldiers 
for  her." 

By  the  4th  of  March  he  had  brought  the  regi- 
ment into  such  condition  that  they  not  only  ap- 
peared to  advantage  on  parade  and  at  review, 
standing  steadily  and  marching  well,  but  also 
drilled  to  his  satisfaction  in  charging  and  firing, 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.      59 

and  he  told  them  "  if  they  would  only  do  as  well, 
keep  as  steady,  and  fire  as  coolly  in  a  real  action 
as  they  did  then,  not  fire  until  they  got  the  word 
from  me,  no  matter  how  near  the  enemy  might 
approach  them,  —  when  they  did  fire,  aim  low,  at 
the  enemy's  knees  (if  near),  —  they  need  not  be 
afraid  of  anything  under  heaven  in  the  shape  of 
an  enemy."  And  he  adds:  "I  only  hope  I  shall 
not  get  shot  until  after  I  have  had  the  regiment 
in  one  good  fight,  for  really  they  seem  to  be  so 
entirely  dependent  upon  me,  that  if  I  should  get 
knocked  over  at  first,  I  don't  like  to  think  what 
would  become  of  them." 

On  the  7th  of  March,  he  conducted  a  wagon 
train  a  few  miles  beyond  the  outposts,  himself 
commanding  the  escort,  which  comprised  his  own 
regiment,  a  troop  of  cavalry,  and  a  section  of 
artillery.  All  his  dispositions  were  made  with 
much  judgment  and  intelligent  care,  and  the 
expedition  returned  safe  and  successful. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  the  army  began  its 
march  towards  Port  Hudson.  Colonel  Bartlett 
kept  his  men  from  plundering,  and  they  thought 
it  was  hard.  He  writes :  "  The  men  made  sad 
work  with  the  poultry  and  stock.  This  army  will 
be  demoralized  if  this  is  allowed  to  go  on.  My 
regiment  think  it  hard  that  they  are  not  al- 
lowed to  go  in  and  plunder,  when  everybody 
else  does  ;  and  it  is.  They  not  only  steal  poultry 
and  other  live  meat,  but  in  some  cases  even  go 


60       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

into  the  houses  and  take  the  food  off  the  table, 
and  steal  jewelry  and  other  valuables.  I  will 
Bhoot  the  first  man  I  see  doing  it,  and  take  the 
consequences."  Crippled  as  he  was,  he  was  very 
tough  in  those  days,  and  very  patient  of  fatigue. 
"I  had  been  in  the  saddle  since  three  in  the 
morning,  twelve  hours,  but  it  made  me  laugh  to 
myself  at  hearing  other  officers  complain  of  being 
all  tired  out,  etc."  This  movement  upon  Port 
Hudson  was  not  attended  with  any  fighting  of 
consequence,  and  the  troops  soon  returned  to 
Baton  Rouge  ;  but  the  Forty-ninth  Regiment  had 
assigned  to  it  some  fatiguing  duty  in  the  way, 
especially  by  acting  as  a  part  of  the  advanced 
guard  in  the  retreat,  which  it  was  supposed  that 
the  enemy  would  attempt  to  interrupt  at  a  bayou 
which  crossed  the  line  of  retreat.  Ill-judged 
orders  brought  the  command  nearly  to  the  ex- 
haustion point,  and  fatigue  and  exposure  very 
nearly  put  their  colonel  on  the  sick  list.  On  the 
18th  he  wrote:  "  I  feel  very  miserably  this  morn- 
ing. It  was  a  struggle  to  get  up.  Very  weak 
and  dizzy.  I  hope  it  is  not  sickness  coming.  I 
have  lost  all  appetite,  and  only  eat  because  it  is 
a  duty,  not  that  I  am  hungry."  A  little  later, 
on  the  same  day,  occur  these  affecting  lines :  "  I 
•wonder  if  these  men  who  go  to  the  hospital  and 
off  duty  feel  half  as  weak  and  ill  as  I  do  just  now. 
I  suffer  more  in  case  of  an  attack  of  weakness 
or  illness  than  when  I  had  two  legs.  It  takes  all 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       61 

the  strength  and  vigor  of  a  healthy  man  to  drag 
round  this  '  ball  and  chain '  of  a  leg.  My  leg  has 
pained  me  more  than  usual  lately.  No  one  shall 
know  it,  though."  The  instances  are  extremely 
rare  in  which,  even  in  the  confidence  of  his  pri- 
vate journal,  he  makes  any  reference  to  the  loss  of 
his  leg.  On  the  24th  of  April,  1863,  he  writes : 
"  Just  one  year  ago  to-day  at  this  hour,  eleven 
A.  M.,  I  lost  my  leg  at  Yorktown.  It  was  just  such 
a  day  as  this.  It  seems  a  short  year,  notwith- 
standing all  the  suffering  I  have  gone  through." 
With  these  few  words  he  leaves  the  subject. 

His  life  went  on  busily,  and  with  little  comfort, 
and  little  pleasure  other  than  the  consciousness  of 
doing  his  duty  and  improving  his  regiment.  He 
read  the  service  to  his  men  on  Sundays,  accom- 
plished them  in  shooting,  drilled  them  constantly, 
and  by  such  little  matters  as  causing  them  to 
wear  white  gloves  on  parade  he  gave  them  an  air, 
and  made  them  feel  increased  pride  in  their  per- 
sonal appearance. 

In  a  letter  to  Governor  Andrew,  written  at  this 
time,  in  reply  to  one  in  which  the  Governor  re- 
quested him  to  appoint  a  chaplain,  he  showed  hia 
usual  sense  and  tact :  — 

The  position  of  chaplain  I  consider  one  of  the  most 
difficult  to  fill,  and  I  have  seen  such  evils  follow  from 
the  presence  of  inefficient  or  unworthy  chaplains  (not  in 
Massachusetts  regiments),  that  I  have  hesitated  to  nom- 


62      MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

inate  any  one  for  that  position,  unless  I  found  some  one 
who  was  qualified,  both  in  character  and  ability.  Such 
an  one  has  not  offered  yet.  Your  correspondent  is  mis- 
informed as  to  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  in  this 
regiment.  There  are  the  regular  duties  of  the  day,  such 
as  guard-mounting,  Sunday  morning  inspection,  and 
dress  parade,  which  are  never  omitted  ;  but  besides  these 
it  is  a  day  of  rest. 

I  have  always  afforded  every  opportunity  for  the 
men  to  attend  divine  worship  on  that  day.  I  have  also 
read  the  services  myself  on  that  day  to  all  who  desired 
to  attend,  it  being  one  of  the  duties  of  the  commanding 
officer  in  the  absence  of  a  chaplain. 

In  the  matter  of  the  white  gloves,  also,  he 
showed  his  tact.  Mr.  Johns  says  that  the  men 
did  not  purchase  them  without  some  dissatisfac- 
tion, but  that  the  Colonel  did  not  compel  any 
man  to  purchase  them,  but  that  he  understood 
that  he  sent  for  one  of  the  malcontents  and  gave 
him  a  pair,  and  that  he  heard  of  no  trouble  after- 
wards. It  may  be  remarked  that  th.5  Forty-ninth 
Regiment  was  not  only  a  nine  months'  regiment, 
but  that  it  seems  to  have  been  made  up  of  men 
who  did  not  expect  to  forego  any  of  the  usual 
privileges  of  citizens  while  they  were  in  the  mili- 
tary service  of  the  United  States,  and  thought 
that  all  questions  arising  in  camp  should  be  set- 
tled by  a  town  meeting  as  much  as  in  the  vil- 
lages they  came  from,  and  that  to  properly  dis- 
cipline such  men  was  a  task  of  peculiar  deli- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       63 

"!acy.  The  neatness  and  cleanness  which  Colonel 
Bartlett  taught  his  men  to  observe  not  only  im- 
proved or  preserved  their  health,  but  increased 
their  self-respect.  He  gave  his  personal  atten- 
tion to  every  work  upon  which  his  men  were  em- 
ployed. Mr.  Johns  says  :  "  The  soldierly  neat- 
ness of  our  Colonel  is  apparent  in  the  superiority 
of  our  rifle-pits  over  those  thrown  up  by  other 
regiments.  With  spade  in  hand,  he  showed  us 
how  the  work  should  be  done.  Our  pits  are  as 
finished  as  if  they  were  parts  of  a  permanent  for- 
tification." 

From  the  12th  to  the  15th  of  May,  he  notes 
that  he  is  not  well,  and  then  for  four  days  he 
makes  no  regular  entry,  but  writes  thus  in  pen- 
cil: "Never  felt  worse  in  my  life.  Never  took 
so  much  medicine.  Worse  and  worse  until  Tues- 
day, May  19th."  Then  he  writes :  — 

Moved   into   the   house   near  my  tent I  am 

threatened  with  typhoid.  Horrible  pain  in  my  head  all 
day.  Orders  to-night,  unfortunately,  for  us  to  march  at 
five  A.  M.  to-morrow.  Dr.  Winsor  (the  regimental  sur- 
geon) says  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  go.  I  must  go.  I 
know  the  risk  is  great,  but  I  have  got  to  take  it.  If  I 
get  killed,  or  wounded,  or  die  of  fever,  people  will  say  it 
was  rash,  etc.  I  know  my  duty,  though,  better  than  any 
one  else.  Colonel  Chapin  has  offered  me  the  use  of  a 

spring  wagon  to  ride  in.     I  shall  go  in  that 

Wednesday,  May  20.  Got  up  at  five.  Could  hardly 
Stand.  The  regiment  started.  Dr.  Winsor  begged  me 


64      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

not  to  go.  The  carriage  which  Colonel  Chapin  was  to 
send  did  not  come.  Dr.  W.  rode  on  to  see  Colonel 
Chapin,  and  find  out  if  it  was  coming.  Meanwhile  I 
got  on  my  horse  and  started.  I  had  got  out  about  a 
mile  when  I  met  the  Doctor  coming  back.  He  said  the 
carriage  was  broken,  but  would  be  along  soon ;  made 
me  get  off  and  go  into  the  nearest  house  and  rest.  I 
waited  and  waited  hours,  and  then  got  word  that  the 
wagon  had  by  some  mistake  gone  on,  and  was  by  this 
time  with  the  train.  There  was  nothing  to  be  done  but 
go  home  or  keep  on  horseback.  I  resolved  to  try  the 
latter,  and  go  as  far  as  I  could.  It  was  now  the  very 
heat  of  the  day.  I  seemed  to  feel  better,  and  kept  on 
to  the  Bayou  Montesino  of  historic  renown.  I  stopped 
at  Mr.  Pike's  house,  where  I  was  received  very  cor- 
dially. I  stayed  to  dinner,  and  passed  the  whole  day 
there  very  pleasantly.  About  four,  a  man  came  with  the 
buggy  for  me ;  he  had  been  looking  everywhere ;  Colo- 
nel Chapin  had  sent  him  back,  not  to  return  without  me. 
So  Steadman  rode  Billy  and  led  Ned  ;  and,  having  bade 
good-by  to  my  kind  friends  (though  rebels),  we  started 
on  our  long  ride.  The  dust  was  several  inches  deep. 
We  r.eached  the  regiment,  encamped  in  a  beautiful  spot, 
about  dark.  The  hearty  cheers  which  they  gave  when 
they  saw  me  come  into  camp  were  pleasing.  They  had 
been  very  blue  all  day,  the  officers  said,  and  kept  saying, 
"  If  we  only  had  the  Colonel  along  !  "  I  had  a  pretty 
good  sleep,  and  felt  pretty  well,  considering  the  Doctor 
had  said  I  would  have  a  high  fever  if  I  attempted  to 
come. 

Thursday,  May  21.     Ordered  to  move  at  six  A.  M.     I 
rode  in  the  buggy ;  kept  the  horses  near,  in  case  I  should 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.       65 

want  them.  We  had  advanced  about  three  and  a  half 
miles,  when  we  were  saluted  by  some  shells  from  rebel 
batteries  ahead.  I  immediately  got  on  my  horse  Billy. 
I  had  to  be  pretty  careful  to  keep  my  balance,  as  I  fell 
very  shaky  still. 

It  was  fortunate  for  the  regiment  that  Colonel 
Bartlett's  determination  caused  him  to  be  present 
with  them  upon  this  occasion ;  for,  though  the 
affair  of  this  day,  dignified  with  the  name  of  the 
Battle  of  Plain's  Store,  was  not  a  serious  one. 
and  cost  the  regiment  only  three  men  wounded 
slightly,  yet  it  was  the  regiment's  first  experience 
of  battle,  and  they  were  threatened  for  many 
hours  with  immediate  attack,  and  were  exposed 
for  a  part  of  the  time  to  artillery  fire.  What  was 
worse,  an  ill- disciplined  and  feebly  commanded 
nine  months'  regiment,  which  was  in  front  of  the 
Forty-ninth,  broke  to  the  rear  and  rushed  through 
its  centre  company  while  Bartlett  was  endeavor- 
ing with  his  regiment  to  stop  the  rout,  and  so 
divided  the  right  wing  from  the  left.  He  gave 
his  regiment  a  valuable  lesson  by  drilling  them 
in  the  manual,  at  a  moment  which  could  be  so 
used,  and  thus  restored  or  increased  their  self-pos- 
session. It  would  seem  that  the  exertion  called 
for  and  gallantly  made  was  good  for  him  also,  as 
for  the  next  few  days,  and  till  he  was  wounded 
in  the  assault  upon  Port  Hudson  on  the  27th,  his 
journal  contains  no  reference  to  his  health.  The 
following  letters  give  many  interesting  details  of 
5 


66      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

his  camp  life,  before  the  first  assault  upon  Port 

Hudson :  — 

CAMP  BANKS,  BATON  ROUGE, 
February  21,  1863. 

....  I  am  gradually  getting  this  regiment  into  shape. 
Field,  staff,  and  company  officers  report  to  me  every 
morning  immediately  after  reveille",  as  we  of  yore  did 
to  "  Little  Bill  Lee,"  and  you.  All  the  little  "  dodges  " 
that  we  picked  up  together  I  am  working  in.  Any  first 
sergeant  knows,  that  if  he  should  appear  on  guard- 
mounting  or  dress  parade,  with  his  white  gloves  soiled, 
he  would  have  to  take  that  lozenge  out  of  his  chev- 
rons. I  have  only  had  to  reduce  two  first  sergeants 
since  I  took  the  regiment.  That  for  "  absence  without 
leave."  Ben  sends  me  an  orderly  every  morning,  re- 
splendent with  brass  and  blacking 

HEADQUARTERS  FORTY-NINTH  REGIMENT,  M.  V.  M. 
CAMP  BANKS,  BATON  ROUGE,  LA.,  March  4,  1863. 

DEAR  MOTHER,  —  I  wrote  you  last  on  the  28th. 
Sunday,  March  1,  was  a  beautiful  day.  Ben  and  I 
took  a  ride  in  the  afternoon.  Went  down  to  the  river, 
up  to  General  Dwight's  quarters.  Fletcher  Abbott  and 
Charley  Dwight  rode  home  with  us.  I  stopped  at  the 
Fiftieth  Regiment.  Sam  Duncan  is  not  here  yet;  three 
of  their  companies  are  down  the  river  at  quarantine  ;  he 
is  with  them,  and  the  Lieutenant-colonel.  Colonel  Tom. 
Chickering  called  to  see  me  after  I  got  back.  Dress 
parade  was  the  best  we  ever  had.  I  felt  very  proud  of 
them,  the  result  of  my  instruction  and  discipline  on 
them.  General  Augur  came  up  to-day,  March  2.  I 
Baw  him  a  few  minutes. 

March  3.     Beautiful  weather  still.     In  the  evening 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       67 

we  sat  out  around  the  fire  in  the  rear  of  my  tent, 
smoking  our  pipes  ;  bright  moonlight ;  the  nights  are 
very  cold,  although  the  days  are  so  hot. 

March  4.  This  morning  orders  came  for  a  review 
in  "  heavy  marching  order,"  by  General  Augur.  I 
cautioned  the  men  to  "  polish  up,"  and  at  half  past  two 
we  turned  out,  as  fine  a  looking  line  as  you  often  see. 
The  men  stood  very  steadily,  and  marched  very  well. 
After  going  back  to  camp  and  leaving  the  knapsacks, 
etc.,  I  took  them  out  to  practice  with  blank  cartridges. 
At  first  they  were  nervous,  and  did  poorly,  but  after 
I  had  given  them  a  very  severe  talking  to,  I  tried  them 
again  at  charging  in  line,  and  they  did  it  splendidly. 
Their  fire  by  battalion  was  like  one  gun.  I  then  formed 
a  hollow  square,  and  fired  from  all  sides.  My  horse, 
inside  the  square,  behaved  beautifully.  I  don't  care 
to  see  any  better  drilling  than  they  did  after  my  lec- 
ture. After  we  came  into  camp  I  closed  column  and 
explained  to  them  that  if  they  would  only  do  as  well 
as  that  in  real  action,  keep  cool,  and  not  fire  until  they 
were  sure  they  had  the  word  from  me,  no  matter  how 
near  the  enemy  approached — when  they  did  fire,  aim  at 
their  opponents'  knees  (if  near),  —  there  was  no  enemy 
in  the  world  that  could  stand  against  them,  etc. 

I  hope  they  will  remember  all  I  said.  They  prom- 
ised, and  were  very  much  excited,  and  cheered  loudly 
for  the  drill.  There  is  nothing  more  important  than 
to  accustom  men  to  firing,  and  getting  used  to  the  noise. 
What  I  taught  them  this  afternoon  was  of  more  use  to 
them,  and  will  do  them  more  good  than  all  the  brig- 
ade drills  under  Colonel  Chapin,  with  unheard  of  and 
Useless  movements. 


68      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

This  regiment  is  so  entirely  dependent  upon  me  alone, 
I  hope  I  shan't  get  hit,  for  I  dread  to  think  what  would 
become  of  them  if  I  should  get  put  hors  du  combat. 

General  Dwight  has  been  trying  to  get  my  regiment 
in  his  brigade  ;  he  wrote  to  Banks  about  it,  but  Augur 
won't  consent  to  lose  it. 

I  hasten  to  get  this  in  a  mail  which  leaves  for  New 
Orleans  to-day.  With  much  love, 

W.  F.  B. 

HEADQUARTERS  FORTY-NINTH  REGIMENT,  M.  V.  M. 
CAMP  BANKS,  BATON  ROUGE,  LA. 

DEAR  MOTHER  :  —  .... 

March  5.  Splendid  weather  still.  I  wish  I  was  in 
the  brigade  of  some  general  instead  of  Colonel  Chapin. 

Met  Chapin  in  the  afternoon.  He  said  Augur  com- 
plimented my  regiment  and  the  One  Hundred  and 
Sixteenth  very  highly.  Went  to  bed  before  tattoo, 
pretty  tired. 

Saturday,  March  7.  Order  came  this  morning  before 
I  was  up,  to  go  out  with  my  regiment  as  escort  and 
guard  to  wagon  train  outside  the  lines.  There  reported 
to  me  quite  a  little  force  for  the  expedition,  which  I  dis- 
posed of  as  follows :  In  advance  I  sent  a  troop  of  cavalry, 
McGee's  Massachusetts,  armed  with  carbines  and  sabres. 
Next,  seven  companies  of  the  Forty-ninth  Regiment, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Sumner.  Next,  a  section  of  a 
battery  of  regulars,  Glosson's  Battery,  twelve-pounders, 
rifled.  Then  came  the  train  of  seventy-five  wagons, 
reaching  half  a  mile.  In  rear  of  these,  three  companies 
of  the  Forty-ninth,  under  Major  Plunkett,  as  rear 
guard.  The  whole  command  extended  nearly  a  mile. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.       69 

I  rode  ahead  with  the  cavalry  advance  guard.  It  was 
quite  a  pretty  little  force.  Captain  Hodge,  Assistant 
Quartermaster,  U.  S.  A.,  had  immediate  charge  of  the 
wagon  train.  "We  marched  about  three  miles  beyond 
the  outposts,  fairly  into  the  enemy's  country.  The 
plantation  where  we  were  going  for  wood,  dried  and 
corded,  belonged  to  a  Dr.  Laycock.  It  covers  about  a 
thousand  acres.  He  raises  splendid  sugar,  molasses,  and 
cotton. 

Just  before  we  got  to  the  place,  the  Clay  Cut  road, 
which  we  were  on,  turns  to  the  right,  and  you  approach 
the  plantation  through  a  thick  belt  of  woods  by  a  narrow 
avenue. 

I  sent  half  a  dozen  troopers  up  the  Clay  Cut  road 
half  a  mile,  to  halt  and  keep  on  the  look  out.  I  sent 
one  company  of  the  Forty-ninth  up  the  same  road  quar- 
ter of  a  mile,  to  support  them,  give  alarm,  and  resist  at- 
tack. I  then  rode  through  the  woods  with  the  cavalry, 
and  found  everything  clear.  The  house  stands  in  the 
middle  of  a  large  clearing  of  fifty  acres  of  perfectly  level 
land,  a  fine  mansion,  newer  and  in  better  repair  than 
most  of  the  southern  houses  I  have  seen.  The  owner 
was  on  the  verandah  when  we  rode  up.  He  is  a  pro- 
fessed Union  man,  has  a  safeguard  from  the  General, 
etc.  While  waiting  for  the  column  to  come  up,  he  in- 
vited me  and  the  officers  who  were  with  me,  two  of 
General  Augur's  staff,  Ben  and  Dr.  Rice,  to  go  in  and 
take  some  whiskey. 

The  others  went  in ;  I  went  on  with  the  cavalry  to  the 
other  side  of  the  clearing,  where  the  wood  of  many  years' 
seasoning  was  piled.  It  was  near  the  sugar-house, 
vhich  was  filled  with  sugar  and  molasses.  Here  I 


70       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

posted  the  infantry  and  artillery,  and  went  with  a  few 
of  the  cavalry  to  the  farther  sides  to  reconnoitre.  An 
old  darkey  told  me  that  five  rebel  cavalry  men  stopped 
him  in  the  morning,  a  little  while  before  we  got  there, 
and  asked  him  if  there  had  been  any  Federal  pickets 
there  lately.  I  divided  the  cavalry  into  three  parts, 
guarding  the  three  approaches  to  the  place,  and  kept 
one  squad  with  me.  I  posted  the  artillery  where  it 
could  hold  two  roads,  and  let  the  men  rest  on  their  arms, 
while  the  teams  were  being  loaded.  This  took  about  an 
hour  and  a  half.  When  we  were  ready  to  return,  I 
started  the  rear  guard,  now  become  the  advance,  then 
the  teams,  then  the  artillery  and  infantry,  and  after  they 
were  well  off,  I  drew  in  the  outposts  and  videttes  and 
followed  with  the  cavalry.  I  dare  say  the  enemy  was 
watching  us  all  the  time,  but  wisely  determined  not  to 
molest  us.  I  was  rather  hoping  they  would,  for  I  was 
all  prepared  for  it,  and  had  a  very  pretty  little  force 
under  my  command.  We  got  back  to  camp  about  four 
p.  M.,  after  a  very  pleasant  little  trip  into  the  country, 
accomplishing  all  we  went  out  for,  and  returning  without 
loss.  The  men  got  their  canteens  filled  with  rich  New 
Orleans  syrup,  and  sugar  enough  to  sweeten  their  coffee 
.for  many  days. 

Sunday,  March  8.  A  beautiful  day.  In  the  after- 
noon Ben  and  I  took  a  ride  down  to  the  town.  A 
great  many  troops  have  come  up  lately.  I  suppose  we 
shall  move  up  the  river  before  long.  After  dress  parade 
I  formed  a  hollow  square  and  read  the  services.  The 
Doctor  dined  with  us  to-night.  We  had  a  good  beef- 
steak, fried  potatoes,  onions,  tea,  and  rice.  I  don't  know 
more  you  could  ask  for.  For  breakfast  this  morn- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       71 

ing  I  had  the  same  thing  you  did,  fried  hasty  pudding, 
with  better  molasses.     To-morrow  morning  it  will  be 
fried  rice,  and  the  next  day  fried  hominy,  then  back  to 
Indian  pudding  again.     A  variety  you  see. 
I  am  very  well  all  over.     Love  to  all. 

Affectionately,  W.  F.  B. 

March  9.  Orders  to  move  at  once,  with  two  days' 
cooked  and  five  uncooked  rations.  No  baggage  or  tents ; 
sixty  rounds  of  ammunition  per  man.  I  don't  know 
where  we  are  going,  I  suppose  Port  Hudson. 

Love  to  all.     Good-by.  W. 

HEADQUARTERS  FORTY-NINTH  EEGIMENT  M.  V.  M. 
CAMP  BANKS,  March  24,  1863. 

MY  DEAR  MOTHER  :  —  This  is  the  first  time  I  have 
had,  when  I  could  get  at  any  paper,  to  write  you  since 
our  return  -from  Port  Hudson.  I  will  copy  from  my 
journal  which  I  took  with  me.  I  wrote  you  last  on 
the  12th. 

That  day  were  reviewed  Grover's  and  Emory's  Divis- 
ions. It  took  till  one  o'clock  from  eight.  I  saw  Gen- 
eral Andrews  a  few  minutes.  He  has  been  made  Chief 
of  Staff  to  General  Banks.  A  very  good  thing.  He  is 
just  the  man  Banks  needs.  Spoke  to  General  Banks  a 
few  minutes.  After  the  review,  I  rode  over  to  the  camp 
of  the  Rhode  Island  Cavalry,  and  "  drew,"  by  simply  re- 
ceipting for  it,  a  fine  McClellan  saddle  and  bridle.  By 
the  way,  I  wish,  father,  you  would  go  to  Baker's  and  tell 
him  that  the  saddle  and  bridle  he  sold  me  at  such  a  big 
price  is  a  swindle.  The  brass  parts  are  iron  merely 
covered  over  with  a  flimsy  plating  of  brass  foil,  which 
peels  off,  in  pieces,  making  it  look  worse  than  noth- 


72       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

ing ;  besides,  in  the  case  of  the  bits,  scratching  and  cut- 
ting the  horse's  face.  The  leather,  too,  is  very  poor, 
many  of  the  straps  breaking  at  the  least  strain.  Baker 
will  have  to  look  out  for  his  reputation  and  custom.  If 
I  were  he  I  would  not  want  my  name  stamped  on  such 
a  sham  affair.  This  one  that  I  have  drawn  is  just  as 
good  leather;  the  buckles  and  bits  of  blued  steel.  Now 
all  I  want  is  my  second  horse,  and  my  "  establishment " 
is  complete.  I  have  not  used  the  new  saddle  myself; 
it  is  for  my  groom  Vantassel.  I  have  been  looking 
for  a  good  horse  ever  since  I  got  out  here ;  have  not 
found  him  yet.  I  don't  expect,  or  care,  to  get  as  fine  a 
one  as  my  black  beauty,  only  a  strong,  steady  horse  for 
the  groom,  to  go  with  me  when  I  ride.  I  would  ride 
the  second  one  into  action,  too,  so  as  not  to  get  mine 
shot.  The  mess  pail  reached  me  last  week,  much  to  my 
delight.  I  did  not  expect  it  so  soon.  It  is  perfectly 
splendid.  Just  what  I  wanted.  I  never  saw  a  better 
one.  The  tea,  too,  is  so  much  better  than  what  we  have 
had  to  drink,  I  wish  you  had  sent  more  of  it.  We 
live  in  great  style  now.  This  morning  for  instance,  I 
don't  want  a  better  breakfast.  Nice  dip-toast,  coffee, 
fried  hasty  pudding,  "  crispy,"  better  than  you  can  make 
it  at  home !  The  other  night  I  made  a  corn-cake, 
merely  poured  boiling  water  on  the  meal,  a  little  salt, 
and  stood  it  up  in  front  of  the  fire  to  bake.  It  was  very 
nice  indeed,  and  with  butter,  and  honey  "  drawn  "  from 
some  neighboring  bee-hive,  was  about  as  good  feed  as 
they  make  in  these  quarters.  "We  don't  always  live  like 
this.  Sometimes  it  is  nothing  but  dry  bread  and  mo- 
lasses for  days. 

In  regard  to  my  saddle,  and  riding,  I  have  got  it  well 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       73 

arranged.  You  know  the  upper  edge  of  my  wooden  leg, 
coming  against  the  hard  saddle,  used  to  cut  through  my 
pants  every  time  I  rode.  I  had  patches  of  cloth  put 
ou,  and  afterwards  patches  of  leather,  but  it  even  cut 
through  these,  by  riding  two  or  three  hours.  I  then  got 
a  leather  padded  covering  which  fits  on  the  seat  of  the 
saddle,  making  the  saddle  look  more  dressy  and  finished, 
and  at  the  same  time  covering  the  wood,  so  that  with  a 
leather  patch  on  my  pants  now,  it  does  not  wear  through 
at  all.  Fletcher  Abbott  gave  me  the  leather  saddle- 
cover.  To  go  back  to  my  journal. 

Friday,  March  13.  Howard  Dwight  called  to  see  me 
this  afternoon.  Grover's  Division  has  started.  We 
shall  start  to-morrow. 

Saturday,  March  14.  Got  the  order  at  midnight  to 
start  at  three  A.  M.  It  made  a  wild  picture  in  the  dark 
morning,  the  camp  fires  blazing  high,  surrounded  by  dark 
forms.  A  little  piece  of  the  old  moon  just  rising  in  the 
east.  We  bade  good-by  to  the  camp,  marched  through 
the  town,  and  about  daylight  struck  the  Bayou  Sara 
road  towards  Port  Hudson.  We  knew  then  for  the  first 
time  in  which  direction  we  were  going. 

It  was  very  pleasant  marching  in  the  cool  of  the 
morning  through  the  heavy  woods.  The  road  was  per- 
fectly straight,  and  we  could  see  it  narrowing  until  the 
trees  on  each  side  seemed  to  meet,  miles  ahead.  About 
nine  A.  M.  we  reached  the  river,  Bayou  Montesino. 
Two  bridges  crossed  it,  a  pontoon  and  a  plank.  At  this 
time,  General  Banks  passed  through  the  lines  to  the 
front.  All  was  silence.  I  could  not  help  thinking  of 
the  time,  nearly  a  year  ago,  when  we  were  marching  in 
the  aame  way,  on  a  road  very  similar,  towards  Yorktown, 


74      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

when  McClellan  passed  along  through  the  army,  aud  for 
miles  and  miles  the  cheers  were  deafening.  We  halted 
at  the  bridge  some  time  for  the  wagons  to  get  over.  At 
noon  we  halted  near  a  farm-house,  fourteen  miles  from 
Port  Hudson.  The  men  made  sad  work  with  the  poul- 
try and  stock.  This  army  will  be  demoralized,  if  this 
pillaging  is  allowed  to  go  on.  My  regiment  think  it 
hard  that  I  won't  let  them  go  in  and  plunder  when 
every  body  else  is  doing  it.  These  marauders  not  only 
steal  poultry  and  other  live  meat,  but  in  some  cases  even 
go  into  the  houses,  and  take  the  food  off  the  table,  steal 
jewelry,  and  other  valuables.  I  believe  in  "living  on 
the  enemy's  country,"  but  the  beef  and  other  food  should 
be  taken  by  the  proper  officers  and  issued  to  the  troops 
as  it  is  required,  not  slaughtered  recklessly  and  left  un- 
touched to  waste.  Besides,  it  is  the  moral  effect  on 
troops,  if  they  are  allowed  to  steal  and  kill,  each  one  for 
himself.  They  soon  become  lawless  and  ungovernable, 
—  an  armed  mob. 

My  regiment  shall  not  pillage  in  this  way,  if  every 
other  regiment  in  this  army  does. 

These  people  will  be  likely  to  favor  the  advance  of  a 
federal  army,  if  their  houses  are  to  be  ransacked,  furni- 
ture broken,  etc.,  by  a  mob  of  soldiers,  every  time  a  brig- 
ade passes  their  door.  Banks  must  publish  some  severe 
order  to  stop  this  thing,  or  I  would  n't  give  much  for  his 
army  in  a  month's  time. 

(Since  writing  the  above  a  week  ago,  an  order  has 
been  issued  to  remedy  this  evil.  It  is  not  severe  enough 
yet.) 

We  marched  a  few  miles  farther  and  went  into  biv- 
ouac, in  a  large  open  field,  and  pitched  the  shelter  tents. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.       75 

I  had  been  in  the  saddle  since  three  in  the  morning, 
twelve  hours,  but  it  made  me  laugh  to  myself,  at  hearing 
other  mounted  officers  complain  of  "being all  tired  out," 
etc.  I  found  a  good  place  for  the  horses  in  a  barn  near 
by,  and  then  lay  down  on  the  grass  and  fell  asleep, 
waiting  for  the  wagon  with  my  tent  and  food  to  come 
up.  Got  the  tent  pitched  about  sundown.  Some  hay 
made  a  luxurious  bed,  into  which  I  crawled  as  soon  as  I 
had  attended  to  everything,  which  was  near  nine  P.  sr. 
Grover's  advance  is  within  four  or  five  miles  of  the 
enemy's  works;  Emory's  between  us  and  Grover.  I 
went  to  sleep  the  moment  I  touched  the  ground.  Was 
awakened  at  eleven  by  heavy  cannonading  at  the  front, 
towards  the  river.  It  was  the  gunboats.  We  slept 
after  this  with  one  eye  open,  hearing  the  terrific  roar  of 
artillery. 

At  two  in  the  morning,  I  was  ordered  to  get  the  regi- 
ment under  arms  and  into  line.  It  was  now  Sunday 
morning,  15th.  We  expected  we  were  going  straight  to 
the  front.  The  cannonading  was  still  going  on,  but  was 
on  the  river,  down  nearer  to  us.  Colonel  Chapin  came 
to  me  and  told  me  that  we  had  been  repulsed  with  great 
loss.  He  ordered  me  to  take  the  advance,  to  clear  the 
road  back,  with  two  regiments  of  infantry  and  a  section  of 
artillery.  They  were  afraid  that  our  passage  back  would 
be  disputed  at  the  bridge  across  the  Bayou  Montesino, 
by  the  enemy's  coming  down  on  the  Clinton  Road,  to 
tut  us  off. 

I  was  told  to  make  for  that  bridge  as  fast  as  possible, 
and  hold  it. 

Just  after  we  started,  I  saw  an  aide  of  General  Emory's, 
who  told  me  that  we  had  n't  "  got  a  gunboat  left,  and  the 


76      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

army  was  all  cut  to  pieces."  I  knew  this  was  impossible, 
for  we  should  have  been  ordered  to  the  front  if  there 
had  been  any  fighting  of  the  land  force. 

At  this  time  a  tremendous  report  came  from  the  river, 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  on  our  right,  and  several  shells 
seemed  to  burst  directly  over  our  heads.  It  was  the 
Mississippi  when  she  blew  up,  a  magnificent  sight. 
Everything  seemed  to  give  indication  of  a  panic.  Team- 
sters were  frightened,  and  were  rushing  and  crowding 
with  their  teams,  blocking  up  the  road. 

I  sent  ahead  and  ordered  the  wagon  train  to  be  stopped, 
as  there  were  gaps  of  a  mile  in  some  places,  which  I  had 
to  close  up.  At  last  I  got  the  troops  and  artillery  to  the 
front.  The  Forty-eighth  had  been  ordered  to  start 
ahead,  and  they  were  in  such  a  hurry  that  I,  not  overtak- 
ing them,  sent  Ben  ahead  to  stop  them  till  we  came  up. 
When  we  got  to  the  Bayou  we  found  it  all  clear,  the 
two  bridges  still  there.  The  plank  bridge  needed  some 
repair,  and  I  left  the  Major  with  two  companies  to  put  it 
in  order  and  make  it  safe  for  the  teams.  I  sent  one 
company  across  on  to  the  Clinton  Road  to  guard  against 
any  attack  of  cavalry  on  our  flank.  After  the  wagon 
train  was  well  up,  I  kept  on,  intending  to  feel  the  way 
into  Baton  Rouge.  After  we  had  marched  a  mile  or  two, 
an  order  came  from  Banks  to  halt  until  further  orders. 
I  waited  two  hours,  and  then  had  orders  to  go  on  to  Baton 
Rouge  and  go  into  camp.  Meantime  I  heard  from  an 
aide-de-camp  that,  as  I  supposed,  the  report  of  a  repulse 
was  false.  That  two  of  our  gunboats  had  succeeded  in 
passing  the  fort.  The  Mississippi  had  got  aground, 
been  set  on  fire,  floated  down,  and  blown  up.  We  had 
got  within  a  few  rods  of  our  old  camp,  the  men  were 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       77 

tired,  having  been  marching  since  three  A.  M.,  when  an 
order  came  to  me  to  turn  round  and  march  back  to  the 
Bayou  again. 

This  was  rather  discouraging,  but  there  was  no  help 
for  it.  I  let  the  men  rest  an  hour,  the  artillery  feed 
their  horses,  etc.  We  got  back  to  the  Bayou  about  half 
past  four.  We  met  Banks  and  his  staff  going  into 
Baton  Rouge  as  we  were  coming  out.  Charley  Sargent 
stopped  and  told  me  that  they  had  done  what  they  in- 
tended to  ;  get  the  gunboats  by.  Banks  had  sent  de- 
spatches by  Farragut  to  Grant  at  Vicksburg.  The  plan 
had  been  to  draw  the  enemy  out  to  fight  us  at  Port  Hud- 
son, but  he  had  refused  offer.  I  know  however  that 
Banks  was  frightened  in  the  morning,  for  I  saw  the  or- 
der from  him  himself,  ordering  the  trains  to  the  rear,  and 
back  to  Baton  Rouge  as  soon  as  possible.  I  felt  safe 
from  the  first,  for  Banks  has  made  so  many  good  re- 
treats that  he  must  understand  it  pretty  well.  We  went 
into  camp  on  the  south  side  of  the  Bayou,  in  a  large 
cornfield.  I  did  n't  get  off  my  horse  till  after  five ;  in  the 
saddle  nearly  fourteen  hours  the  second  day.  It  began 
to  rain  now,  and  the  field  was  soon  two  or  three  inches 
deep  with  water  and  mud.  I  had  just  got  off  my  horse 
when  I  received  an  order,  saying  that  the  Forty-ninth 
and  Fiftieth  Massachusetts  regiments  would  be  in  read- 
iness to  march  to-night  or  to-morrow  morning  on  an  im- 
portant expedition,  under  command  of  Colonel  Bartlett. 
I  was  to  report  immediately  to  Banks  at  Baton  Rouge, 
for  instructions.  I  knew  that  it  was  absolutely  impossi- 
ble for  the  men  to  march  in  the  condition  they  were,  all 
used  up ;  no  chance  for  sleep  in  the  night  on  account  of 
the  rain,  etc. 


78      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

I  also  thought  it  was  rather  "  rubbing  it  in,"  to  make 
me  ride  all  the  way  back  to  Baton  Rouge  in  the  rain,  for 
instructions,  after  I  had  been  on  the  go  since  three  that 
morning,  and  it  was  by  this  time  dark,  and  thence  back 
here  again,  and  by  the  time  I  got  here,  start  off  on  this 
new  tramp. 

So  I  sent  Ben  over  to  Augur's  Headquarters,  from 
whence  the  order  came,  to  explain  that  my  regiment  had 
just  got  in,  had  been  marching  all  day,  having  been  to 
Baton  Rouge  and  back.  He  said  certainly  they  need 
not  go,  that  he  "  did  not  know  they  had  been  marching." 
He  "  had  designated  Colonel  Bartlett  to  go  in  command 
of  the  expedition  as  a  compliment,"  etc.  This  of  course 
was  all  very  pleasant,  and  if  it  had  been  at  any  other 
time  I  should  have  liked  nothing  better.  But  the  regi- 
ment was  too  much  exhausted,  and  I  was  tired,  to  say 
the  least.  I  got  some  rails  to  keep  us  out  of  the  water, 
which  was  two  or  three  inches  deep  in  the  tent,  and 
slept  on  these,  like  a  log,  till  reveille. 

I  could  hardly  realize  it  when  some  one  mentioned 
that  it  was  Sunday.  So  different  from  the  quiet  day  a 
week  before. 

Monday,  16th.  Stopped  raining  this  morning  and  the 
sun  is  out  very  hot.  I  am  sitting  in  the  shade  of  my 
tent,  writing  up  my  journal.  I  wonder  what  the  first 
reports  of  this  affair  will  be  in  the  Northern  papers. 
They  will  say  nothing  about  the  order  to  retreat,  I  im- 
agine. Colonel  Clark  of  Banks'  Staff  was  wounded  in 
the  leg  day  before  yesterday,  out  at  the  front  somewhere. 

Over  at  Augur's  quarters  in  the  afternoon.  They 
blame  Farragut  for  stopping  to  fight  their  batteries,  in- 
stead of  pushing  directly  by.  Farragut  is  to  wait  above 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       79 

Port  Hudson  until  Banks  communicates  with  him,  which 
was  the  object  of  the  expedition  I  was  selected  to  com- 
mand, to  cross  the  river  and  go  up  above  Port  Hudson 
on  the  other  side. 

Tuesday,  17th.  Ben  and  I  took  a  bath  in  a  stream 
back  of  our  camp.  Banks  publishes  in  orders  that  "  the 
.Hartford  and  Albatross  passed  the  fort  safely,  and  lie  an- 
chored above.  The  object  of  the  expedition  is  accom- 
plished." 

I  expect  that  the  first  news  which  reaches  the  North 
will  be  through  rebel  sources,  announcing  the  destruc- 
tion of  our  fleet,  etc. 

Wednesday,  ISth.  Slept  on  my  gridiron  of  rails  till 
late  this  morning,  not  feeling  well.  Three  hours  of  a 
cool  northern  breeze,  and  a  good  dinner  at  home  or  at 
Parker's,  would  make  me  all  right.  What  must  it  be 
here  in  July  !  We  are  likely  to  find  out,  I  guess.  When 
we  came  away  from  Baton  Rouge  I  left  my  little  leather- 
covered  pocket  flask  on  my  bed.  It  was  dark  and  no 
one  saw  it,  to  bring  it  along.  I  would  not  have  lost  it 
for  anything,  I  have  had  it  so  long.  Some  nigger 
picked  it  up  after  we  had  gone,  probably.  While  we 
were  lying  in  the  shade  this  afternoon,  tryfng  to  keep 
cool,  I  began  to  make  up  some  verses  on  the  subject  of 
the  present  expedition.  It  reminded  me,  our  marching 
up  to  Port  Hudson  and  then  turning  about  and  march- 
ing back  again  without  fighting,  of  the 

"  King  of  France  with  twenty  thousand  men 
Marched  up  the  hill  and  then  marched  down  again." 

Perhaps  I  will  send  them  to  you,  if  you  won't  show 
them.  We  tried  to  ma^ke  them  absurd.  You  can't 
understand  all  the  "  hits." 


80       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Tfiursday,  19th.  Allowed  to  sleep  all  night.  Anyone 
who  knows  how  I  hate  snakes  and  all  sorts  of  reptiles, 
will  imagine  my  disgust  at  finding  a  lizard  in  my  bed 
after  the  blanket  was  taken  off  this  morning.  If  I  had 
been  the  lizard  I  should  have  chosen  a  softer  bed  than 
mine  was.  One  of  my  officers  killed  eight  snakes  yes- 
terday. One  of  the  rattlesnakes  had  eleven  rattles. 

Yesterday  afternoon  the  mess  pail  arrived.  It  quite 
set  me  up.  I  have  felt  better  ever  since.  To-day  we 
use  it  for  the  first  time.' 

Friday,  March  20.  Orders  this  morning  to  march  to 
Baton  Rouge.  We  got  in  about  three  p.  M.  We  got 
our  tents  up  and  began  to  make  ourselves  at  home  again. 

Saturday,  March  21.  Rode  down  town  this  morning 
to  see  Dr.  Winsor,  whom  we  left  sick.  He  is  much  bet- 
ter ;  will  be  out  in  a  few  days. 

I  invited  George  Wheatland  (of  Salem),  Major  of  the 
Forty-eighth,  to  dine  with  me  this  evening.  We  dine  at 
six.  I  gave  him  a  very  good  dinner.  We  used  the  new 
mess  pail ;  just  right  for  three.  I  had  a  pork  steak  off  a 
young  pig,  French  bread,  which  Jacques  gets  in  Baton 
Rouge,  and  chocolate,  which  the  latter  makes  very  well, 
fried  sweet  potatoes,  guava  jelly,  boiled  rice,  butter,  and 
for  dessert,  figs,  coffee,  and  cigars,  and  a  thimbleful  of 
whiskey.  He  said  it  was  the  first  decent  dinner  he  had 
had  since  he  left  Boston.  The  mail  came  this  evening 
too,  a  letter  from  Mother  and  one  from  Anna  and  Nellie 
Putnam. 

Sunday,  March  22.  A  beautiful  morning,  quite  cool. 
Banks  went  to  New  Orleans  yesterday  ;  his  staff  remains 
here  still.  A  prisoner  was  brought  in  by  my  pickets 
this  morning.  He  just  came  from  Port  Hudson.  Says 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       81 

they  have  fifty  thousand  men  there.  They  think  we 
have  about  sixty  thousand  here.  If  they  knew  that  we 
only  had  sixteen  thousand  fighting  men  here,  perhaps 
they  would  drop  in  on  us  some  morning. 

Monday,  March  23.  Raining.  My  bed  being  pretty 
comfortable  I  concluded  to  lie  still  until  Jacques  sum- 
moned, "  Dej'euner  tout  pr§t,  Monsieur  le  Colonel,"  at 
eight  A.  M.  A  nice  one  it  was  too.  Dip  toast,  our  reg- 
ular morning  dish  (we  get  a  pint  of  milk  now  twice  a 
day,  ten  cents  per  pint),  and  fried  pudding.  Fletcher 
Abbott  and  Charley  Sargent  called  in  the  afternoon.  A 
heavy  shower  coming  up  drove  them  off,  and  nearly 
spoiled  our  dinner,  which  you  know  is  cooked  out  doors, 
on  three  or  four  bricks,  just  back  of  our  tent. 

Tuesday,  March  24.  Rode  down  to  Baton  Rouge, 
saw  Dr.  Winsor;  he  is  much  better,  will  be  out  soon. 
Banks'  staff  goes  to  New  Orleans,  to-day.  A  letter 
from  Uncle  Edwin  last  night.  Lieutenant-colonel  Rod- 
man (New  Bedford),  Massachusetts  Thirty-eighth,  called 
this  evening. 

Wednesday,  25th.  The  prospect  seems  to  be  that  we 
shall  stay  here  quiet  now  for  the  present,  unless  at- 
tacked. It  does  not  promise  to  be  a  very  brilliant  cam- 
paign. 

On  Wednesday,  May  27,  1863,  Banks  made 
his  first  disastrous  assault  upon  Port  Hudson. 
On  this  day  Colonel  Bartlett  with  his  regiment 
was  with  its  brigade  in  a  wood,  and  he  thus  de- 
scribes the  position  and  his  experiences ;  and  the 
record  is  the  more  solemn  because  he  disapproved 
the  movement  and  anticipated  its  failure  :  — 
6 


82      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

"  The  edge  of  the  woods  was  a  few  rods  to  the  front, 
and  then  there  was  open  ground  to  the  works,  except 
the  obstructions.  Soon  the  order  came  to  assault.  I 
knew  just  what  sort  of  a  place  there  would  be  to  go 
through  —  I  had  seen  Rebel  fortifications  before.  I 
knew  it  would  be  almost  impossible  to  get  through  the 
fallen  trees,  etc.,  even  if  I  was  not  shot  at  I  knew, 
being  the  only  officer  mounted,  I  should  be  much  more 
conspicuous.  I  knew  that  my  chances  for  life  were  very 
small.  But  I  had  to  go  horseback,  or  not  at  all.  So 
prayed  that  life  and  limb  might  be  spared,  and  went  in. 
....  We  had  got  two  thirds  across  the  slaughter-field 
when,  just  as  I  was  shouting  to  the  me'n  to  keep  closed 
on  the  color,  pop  I  went  off  my  horse  like  a  rocket. 
....  As  for  me,  God  had  been  very  good.  I  was 
spared  life,  and  most  probably  limb.  The  ball,  a  round 
one  luckily,  struck  in  the  joint  of  my  wrist,  shattering 
the  bones.  It  was  very  painful.  The  other  wound  was 
slight.  A  buck-shot  struck  the  outside  of  my  right 
ankle,  and  glanced  down,  entering  the  flesh  and  passing 
through  the  sole  of  my  foot." 

The  ball  was  cut  from  the  wrist  after  no  long 
delay,  and  the  wound  dressed.  He  was  placed 
in  an  ambulance,  and  carried  to  the  river,  and 
thence  by  steamboat  to  Baton  Rouge,  where  he 
was  placed  in  bed  in  a  house  near  his  old  camp. 
These  words  from  his  journal  are  worth  quoting, 
for  their  simplicity :  "  The  ride  reminded  me  of 
mine  from  Yorktown  to  Shipping  Point  a  year 
before.  It  was  about  nine  miles,  a  rough  road." 
Again  only  this,  and  nothing  more. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       83 

Mr.  Johns  thus  tells  the  story  of  the  Colonel's 
experiences  that  day  :  — 

"  The  Colonel  was  on  horseback,  the  only  mounted 
man  in  the  field.  He  had  to  go  that  way  or  stay  behind. 
With  his  regiment  he  would  go.  How  he  got  through 
the  ditches  and  over  all  the  obstructions  I  cannot  con- 
ceive. His  little  horse  leaped  obstacles  that  seemed 
insurmountable  to  any  horse  flesh.  Struck  with  his  dar- 
ing, it  is  said  that  the  rebel  officers  commanded  their 
men  not  to  fire  on  him  ;  but  deadly  missiles  flew  thick 
and  fast  in  that  valley  of  death  into  which  duty  led 
him,  and,  having  gone  about  fifty  rods,  a  bullet  slightly 
wounded  him  in  the  heel  of  his  good  leg,  and  another 

shattered  his  left  wrist It  is  said  that  when  some 

one  came  to  help  him,  he  asked  them,  'Did  you  see 
Billy  ?     He  jumped  like  a  rabbit.'  "  l 

1  Extract  from  a  letter  of  Colonel  Walter  Catting,  A.  D.  C. :  — 
"  An  assault  on  the  fortifications  of  Port  Hudson  by  the  Nine- 
teenth Corps,  commanded  by  General  Banks,  was  ordered  for  the 
27th  of  May,  1863.  It  began  on  the  left  of  the  line,  and  about 
noon,  on  that  day,  General  Augur's  Division  (the  centre)  was  or- 
dered to  assault  the  works  in  line  of  battle.  Colonel  W.  F.  Bart- 
lett,  commanding  the  Forty-ninth  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  was 
in  this  division,  and  as,  by  reason  of  the  loss  of  his  leg,  he  could 
not  go  on  foot  over  the  half  mile  of  felled  timber  and  abatis,  he, 
being  unwilling  to  let  his  regiment  go  without  him,  led  it  on 
horseback.  Out  of  about  three  thousand  men  in  the  Division, 
he  was  the  only  mounted  man  in  the  assaulting  column.  He  fell 
wounded,  as  you  know.  A  few  days  after,  on  being  sent  under  a 
flag  of  truce  to  ask  permission  to  bury  our  dead,  I  met  a  number 
vf  the  Confederate  officers  from  the  fort,  who  came  out  to  meet 
»e.  After  the  formal  preliminaries,  some  of  them  asked,  '  Who 
was  that  man  on  horseback  ?  He  was  a  gallant  fellow ; '  '  a  brave 


84      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

The  wound  in  the  wrist  proved  a  painful  and 
severe  one,  and  very  nearly  cost  Colonel  Bartlett 
his  arm.  It  suppurated  very  freely,  and  the  dis- 
charge weakened  him  extremely,  the  more  so  that 
the  hot  season  had  now  fully  arrived.  He  re- 
mained at  Baton  Rouge  for  about  three  weeks, 
and  there  he  received  the  best  attention  that  cir- 
cumstances admitted ;  but  everything  seems  to 
have  been  mismanaged  or  neglected  in  that  de- 
partment. He  records  that  one  evening  he  sat 
up  till  past  ten,  "  waiting  for  the  doctors,  who 
were  to  come,  but  did  n't.  Learned  this  morning 
one  was  very  drunk,  the  other  taking  care  of  him. 
Good  medical  attendance  I  "  His  journal  makes 
almost  daily  mention  of  the  condition  of  the 
wound,  but  usually  in  the  fewest  words.  On  the 
19th  of  June  he  writes  at  unusual  length:  "  The 
inflammation  on  the  outside  of  my  arm  still  con- 
tinues, and  is  quite  painful.  My  great  fear  is 
that  inflammation  will  set  in,  so  that  I  shall  lose 
my  arm  above  the  elbow,  or  my  life  even.  We 
must  pray  not."  He  told  the  writer  some  years 
after,  that  for  a  long  time  at  this  period  men  were 
detailed  to  be  with  him  day  and  night,  and  to 
keep  ice  melting  drop  by  drop  upon  his  wrist,  and 

man  ; '  'the  bravest  and  most  daring  thing  we  have  yet  seen  done 
in  the  war,'  etc.,  etc.  And  after  I  had  told  them  it  was  Colonel 
Bartlett,  etc.,  etc.,  they  said, '  We  thought  him  too  brave  a  man  to 
t«  killed,  so  we  ordered  our  men  not  to  fire  at  him.'  This  was 
repeated  to  me  by  several  of  them,  and  I,  thinking  it  too  good  to 
be  lost,  gave  it  to  the  newspaper  correspondents  to  publish." 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       85 

BO  to  keep  down  the  inflammation.  He  also  said 
that  one  day  the  surgeons  at  last  decided  that  it 
was  no  longer  safe  to  try  to  save  the  hand,  and 
that  they  went  away  for  their  instruments,  and 
that  when  they  returned  and  began  their  prepa- 
rations for  the  operation,  it  was  growing  dark,  and 
candles  were  brought.  He  had  a  feeling,  it  was 
nothing  more,  that  if  he  was.  to  lose  another 
limb,  he  would  like  better  to  have  it  done  by 
daylight,  and  he  asked  them  if  it  would  make  any 
real  difference  if  they  should  wait  till  morning. 
They  said  it  would  not,  and  went  away.  In  the 
morning  they  returned,  laid  out  their  instruments, 
and  removed  the  bandages.  They  looked  at  the 
arm,  then  looked  at  each  other,  then  consulted  a 
little,  and  then  told  him  that  they  hardly  dared 
to  say  so,  but  that  they  fancied  it  looked  a  mere 
shade  better,  and  that  at  any  rate  they  would 
wait  till  afternoon.  In  the  afternoon,  the  same 
performance  was  repeated,  and  so  on  for  several 
days.  The  arm  never  looked  worse,  and  could 
hardly  be  said  to  look  better,  but  by  degrees  that 
were  almost  imperceptible  it  improved,  until  at 
last  its  safety  was  declared.  Thus  by  his  respect 
for  what  seemed  a  mere  caprice  of  the  moment, 
or  at  best  a  sentiment,  Colonel  Bartlett  had  the 
great  good  fortune  to  escape  adding  the  loss  of  an 
arm  to  the  loss  of  a  leg.  The  wound  healed  com- 
pletely in  time,  but  the  wrist  was  permanently 
stiffened,  and  the  use  of  some  of  the  fingers  of 
that  hand  was  impaired. 


86       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

At  this  time  lie  received  and  declined  the  offer 
of  the  colonelcy  of  a  regiment  in  the  so-called 
Corps  d'Afrique,  which  General  Andrews  was 
then  forming  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf. 

He  left  Baton  Rouge  by  steamer  in  the  evening 
of  Sunday,  July  19.  He  writes :  "  I  never  was 
so  glad  to  leave  any  place  before.  I  hope  never 
to  see  it  again."  He  reached  New  Orleans  the 
next  morning,  and  remained  there  three  or  four 
days.  In  the  first  twenty-four  hours  of  his  stay, 
three  large  pieces  of  bone  came  out  of  his  arm,  and 
he  suffered  very  much  from  the  excessive  heat. 
It  may  be  well,  as  a  contribution  to  the  history  of 
the  period,  to  quote  the  following  lines  written  in 
his  journal  by  the  patient,  uncomplaining,  sol- 
dierly man,  at  the  end  of  his  stay  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Gulf :  "  It  is  the  way  everything  is 
managed  or  rather  mismanaged  in  this  depart- 
ment, which,  if  Heaven  ever  permits  me  to  get 
out  of  it  alive,  shall  never  be  troubled  by  my 
presence  again." 

Of  the  following  letters,  the  first  is  from  the 
wife  of  the  Surgeon  of  the  regiment,  giving  ex- 
tracts from  a  letter  from  her  husband  to  Colonel 
Bartlett's  father.  The  others  are  from  Colonel 
Bartlett  himself :  — 

June.  10,  1863. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  —  I  have  dates  to-day  to  the  30th. 
I  suppose  you  have  the  same,  but  give  extracts  :  — 
"  May  28.     Colonel  Bartlett  got  a  ball  in  left  wrist, 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       87 

which  I  took  out;  the  bone  is  broken,  but  I  am  sanguine 
in  the  opinion  that  his  arm  and  hand  can  be  saved.  His 
pluck  was  splendid,  and  he  thought  far  more  of  his  regi- 
ment than  of  himself.  He  is  on  his  way  to  Baton  Rouge. 
Lieut-colonel  got  a  ball  in  the  shoulder,  but  no  bones 
broken." 

"  May  29.  General  Augur  said  every  officer  there 
was  brave,  but  Colonel  Bartlett  the  bravest,  and  one  of 
his  best  colonels." 

"  May  30,  1\  A.  M.  Colonel  Bartlett  was  hit  in  left 
wrist  by  round  musket  ball,  which  went  through  from 
one  side  to  the  other,  where  I  took  it  out.  The  hand 
will  be  saved." 

BATON  ROUGE,  June  13,  1863. 

DEAR  MOTHER  :  —  I  have  improved  very  much  within 
the  last  few  days.  My  appetite  has  returned,  and  I  feel 
much  better  every  way.  My  arm  is  suppurating  very 
freely  under  the  application  of  warm  woollen  cloths, 
which  act  like  a  mild  poultice.  All  the  doctors  who 
look  at  my  arm  say  it  is  doing  finely.  Even  those  who 
thought  it  was  impossible  to  save  the  hand  at  first,  think 
now  there  is  n't  the  least  doubt.  It  will  be  a  long  time 
getting  well,  on  account  of  the  little  pieces  of  bone,  two 
of  which  came  out  this  morning.  I  have  no  pain  in  the 
wrist  now,  except  when  it  has  to  be  moved.  My  foot  is 
doing  very  well,  almost  all  healed  up.  I  keep  simple 
cerate  on  that,  some  of  my  old  supply.  I  had  a  long 
etter  from  Anna  yesterday,  from  Baltimore.  It  was 
quite  an  interesting  letter,  —  all  but  the  writing ;  and 
that  was  amusing.  You  must  write  to  Sallie  for  me  a 
%w  lines.  Had  a  letter  from  Little  too,  dated  the  latter 
part  of  April.  Have  they  published  the  account  of  our 


88       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT 

storming  the  works  ?  The  New  Orleans  papers  have 
not  been  allowed  to  mention  it.  Did  n't  want  to  gratify 
the  many  rebs  there.  General  Augur  told  one  of 
Banks'  staff  the  other  day,  in  speaking  of  me,  that  I 
"was  the  best  colonel  in  his  Division,  and  he  had  rather 
have  lost  any  other ! " 

Talk  about  your  one  leg,  I  don't  see  but  it  is  as  good 
as  some  people's  two.  I  have  heard  other  things,  which, 
as  the  "correspondents"  say,  "I  am  not  at  liberty  to 
divulge  at  present." 

I  don't  want  all  those  strawberries  to  be  gone  before 
I  get  there.  They  have  the  meanest  strawberries  and 
the  meanest  tomatoes  here  that  you  can  imagine.  It's 
a  mean  place  anyway,  the  whole  State,  and  I  wouldn't 
live  here  for  it. 

I  long  to  get  out  on  to  salt  water ;  that  will  set  me  up, 
I  expect.  Well,  it  won't  be  long  now,  I  hope.  I  sup- 
pose you  are  all  worrying  yourselves  at  a  great  rate,  by 
this  time.  You  ought  to  have  got  my  first  letter  now. 

Love  to  all. 

Your  affectionate  son,  W.  F.  B. 

The  other  officers,  as  far  as  I  can  find  out,  are  doing 
very  well.  Ben  is  well,  at  least  he  was  a  day  or  two 
since. 

Sunday,  June  14.  Feeling  better.  Big  dinner  to- 
day. Colonel  Sumner  came  to  see  me  to-day.  He  is 
»loing  well. 

BATON  ROCGE,  June  19,  1863. 

....  You  needn't  let  them  know,  if  you  can  avoid 
it,  that  the  wound  in  my  wrist-joint  is  worse  than  I  knew 
of  at  first.  If  I  had  been  told  just  how  bad  the  wound 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       89 

was  that  afternoon  on  the  field,  I  would  have  made  the 
surgeon  take  off  the  hand  without  a  second  thought. 
The  surgeon  assured  me  so  positively  that  I  could  save 
the  hand,  that  I  didn't  think  to  ask,  "  At  how  great  a 
risk,  in  how  long  a  time  ?  "  I  want  the  surgeons  to  take 
it  off  now,  and  let  me  get  well,  instead  of  running  the 
risk  of  inflammation,  and  losing  it  above  the  elbow,  or 

worse.     The  surgeons  say,  wait 

As  to  the  assault,  Frank,  it  was  a  very  nasty  fight. 
If  Mr.  Banks  had  been,  as  you  and  I  had,  at  Howard's 
Bridge  and  Yorktown,  he  would  have  seen  what  sort  of 
things  rebel  fortifications  were.  He  had  never  seen  any 
of  any  account  (nor  Augur  either,  but  he  was  much 
opposed  to  storming  the  works).  I  had  told  myself 
quietly,  long  before  we  had  the  order  to  storm,  just  what 
sort  of  a  place  there  would  be  to  pass  over  after  we 
cleared  the  woods,  and  just  about  what  we  should  catch 
while  we  were  scrambling  over  these  obstacles.  I  was 
sorry  to  find  with  how  much  truth  I  had  told  myself 
that  yarn.  You  know,  Frank,  just  what  it  was.  After 
you  got  to  the  edge  of  the  woods,  you  could  see  the 
breastworks,  two  or  three  hundred  yards  distant.  While 
waiting  in  the  edge  of  the  woods,  we  were  beyond  reach 
of  their  musketry,  but  the  grape  was  profuse.  The  in- 
tervening ground  was,  as  you  have  seen  it,  covered  with 
trees  ingeniously  felled  and  cut  up,  so  that  they  afforded 
no  shelter,  but  were  great  obstacles.  It  was  pretty  hard 
getting  through  and  over  it  on  horseback.  The  rest  you 
know.  It  was  hard  to  keep  a  line  where  men  had  to 
pick  their  way  and  scramble  over  these  things.  I  halted 
them  two  or  three  times  for  a  few  seconds,  just  to  get  a 
formation  on  the  colors,  which  were  carried  beautifully. 


90      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

....  We  lost  pretty  heavily,  seventy-five  out  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty  odd.  Eleven  officers  out  of  eighteen 

killed  or  wounded I  am  glad  to  hear  Holmes  is 

doing  well.  Give  my  love  to  him.  Tell  him  we  "  tie 
on  the  number  of  wounds ;  we  shall  both  have  to  try  it 
again  to  see  who  gets  the  rubber."  .... 

He  sailed  for  New  York  in  the  steamer  Matan- 
zas,  on  the  23d  of  July,  and  reached  port  on  the 
31st,  after  a  very  pleasant  voyage,  which  did  him 
good.  For  the  next  month  he  did  little  but  to 
rest  and  enjoy  himself,  and  recover  his  health. 
His  regiment  reached  Pittsfield  on  the  22d  of  Au- 
gust, and  he  rode  at  its  head,  with  his  wounded 
arm  in  a  box-sling,  in  the  procession  which  es- 
corted it  from  the  railway  station,  through  the 
streets  of  the  town  in  which  it  was  formed.  It 
was  mustered  out  of  the  service  a  few  days  later, 
but  its  muster-out  did  not  bring  repose  to  its 
Colonel,  for  he  had  already  accepted  the  colo- 
nelcy of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment,  Massachu- 
setts Volunteer  Infantry,  a  regiment  enlisted  for 
three  years  or  the  war,  which  he  was  to  raise  as 
well  as  command.  On  the  26th  of  September, 
Governor  Andrew  told  him  that  Secretary  Stan- 
ton  had  expressed  himself  as  much  pleased  with 
his  military  career,  and  had  promised  that  as  soon 
as  he  had  raised  his  regiment,  he  should  have  a 
brigadier-general's  commission.  Colonel  Bartlett 
was  then  a  little  more  than  twenty-three.  His 
journal  contains  not  a  word  of  exultation,  only 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       91 

fchese  simple  words :  "  This  was  very  gratifying, 
of  course.  I  hope  he  will  keep  his  promise." 

For  the  rest  of  the  year  1863,  and  until  the 
middle  of  April,  1864,  Colonel  Bartlett  remained 
in  Massachusetts.  The  earlier  portion  of  this 
period,  at  least,  was  one  of  the  pleasant  times  of 
his  life.  His  health  was  improving,  his  work  was 
light,  his  position  was  altogether  gratifying. 
After  the  responsibility  and  fatigue  and  discom- 
fort of  his  life  in  Louisiana,  home  with  its  pleas- 
ures and  honors  was  a  delightful  change.  It  was 
at  the  close  of  this  period  that  he  became  engaged 
to  be  married,  though  his  engagement  was  not 
announced  for  some  months. 

He  was  complimented  by  an  offer  which  he 
thus  records :  — 

"  October  30.  The  Governor  sent  for  me  and  asked 
if  I  would  like  to  take  the  Fortieth  Massachusetts  Reg- 
iment, now  at  Folly  Island,  Charleston  Harbor.  He 
wanted  some  one  to  straighten  it  out,  I  told  him  if  I 
was  well  enough  to  take  the  field  now,  I  would." 

As  the  year  1863  drew  to  its  close,  he  became 
much  busier,  as  the  formation  of  his  new  regi- 
ment advanced,  and  he  began  to  spend  much  time 
at  Worcester,  where  its  camp  was  established. 
On  the  7th  of  January,  1864,  a  fresh  misfortune 
befell  him.  On  the  evening  of  that  day,  he  be- 
came conscious  that  something  was  wrong  with 


92      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

his  left  eye  and  that  side  of  his  face.  This  was 
in  Boston.  On  the  following  day  he  went  to 
Worcester,  but,  the  affection  continuing  on  the 
9th,  he  consulted  a  physician,  who  told  him  it 
was  paralysis,  prescribed  an  external  treatment, 
and  forbade  him  to  go  out  or  to  read.  His  only 
comment  is,  "  Pretty  dismal.  Wish  I  had  gone 
home."  On  the  next  day  he  writes  :  "  Kept  the 
house  all  day.  My  face  the  same.  I  don't  know 
of  anything  I  had  not  rather  have  than  such  an 
affliction  as  this.  I  thought  I  had  endured  enough 
these  last  two  years,  but  it  seems  not.  This  is 
the  worst  of  all.  Not  that  I  am  proud  of  my 
face,  for  it  is  not  at  best  a  handsome  one,  but  to 
lose  all  power  of  expression  or  motion  on  one  side, 
and  not  be  able  to  laugh  or  eat  without  distorting 
it,  is  rather  hard."  He  left  Worcester  in  a  day 
or  two,  and  returned  to  his  home,  where  he  re- 
mained very  quietly  for  the  next  three  weeks. 
His  ailment  seems  to  have  yielded  readily  to 
treatment,  for  on  the  29th  he  makes  the  sim- 
ple entry  :  "  My  face  is  better.  I  can  move 
it."  After  this  he  seems  to  have  resumed  his 
usual  habits  of  life.  The  affection  appears  to 
have  been  caused  by  a  draught  of  cold  air  from 
an  open  window  while  he  sat  at  work  near  a  hot 
stove.  The  physicians  feared  it  might  prove  seri- 
ous, but  they  were  mistaken,  and,  once  gone,  it 
never  returned.  The  ailment  drew  from  his  old 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       93 

companion,  Major  Abbott  of  the  Twentieth  Mas- 
sachusetts, the  following  letter :  — 

NEAR  STEVENSBURG,  VA.,  February  3,  1864. 

Mr  DEAR  FRANK:  —  I  have  just  heard  through  let- 
ters from  home  and  by  Slocum  Milton  of  your  new 
misfortune,  though  nobody  can  tell  me  how  serious  the 
paralysis  is,  and  of  your  pluck  and  cheerfulness  in  stand- 
ing it.  Why,  dear  old  fellow,  you  don't  know  how  much 
we  all  sympathize  with  you,  and  how  much  we  admire 
your  resolution  in  bearing  your  sufferings.  I  trust  the 
evil  is  not  so  serious  as  reports  make  it,  but  I  know  at 
the  best  it  must  be  bad  enough.  It  is  your  duty  now  to 
think  only  of  your  own  case  and  how  to  alleviate  it,  and 
not  fret  about  military  matters.  You  have  done  and 
suffered  enough,  not  for  one  man  but  for  a  hundred,  and 
you  ought  to  think  of  nothing  but  your  own  health. 
You  know,  of  course,  Frank,  and  it  must  be  some  com- 
pensation for  your  trials,  you  have  won  a  name  for  ca- 
pacity and  gallantry  and  heroism,  as  great  as  any  man  of 
your  age  in  the  whole  army.  God  knows  you  have  de- 
served it,  and  I  don't  believe  he  will  allow  it  to  be  your 
only  reward  outside  of  yourself.  You  will  weather  it 
all,  so  that  you  can  enjoy  as  much  physical  comfort  as  of 
old,  in  the  possession  of  your  laurels.  For  Heaven's 
sake,  don't  be  rash  again  in  the  smallest  particular.  I 
was  afraid  when  I  saw  you  at  home  this  last  time,  you 
were  overtasking  your  strength,  and  you  are  well  enough 
aware  that  it  is  your  tendency  to  think  too  little  of  that 
body  of  yours,  which,  with  all  its  losses,  is  thought  very 
well  of  by  your  friends,  if  you  disregard  it  yourself. 

Of  course  I  don't  expect  you  to  answer  this ;  I  have 


94       MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

only  written  because  I  could  n't  help  expressing  my  sym- 
pathy in  your  unparalleled  sufferings  and  fortitude. 
"With  my  kind  regards  to  your  family,  I  am, 
Your  affectionate  friend, 

H.  L.  ABBOTT. 

Nat  and  all  the  rest  of  the  old  fellows  send  their 
warmest  love. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  1864,  he  formed  the 
line  of  the  Fifty-seventh  Massachusetts  Infantry 
for  the  first  time.  On  the  28th  of  the  same  month, 
a  sword  was  presented  to  him  by  the  citizens  of 
the  town  of  Winthrop,  where  his  father's  family 
was  then,  and  had  for  some  years  been  living.  The 
ceremony  took  place  in  the  Town  Hall,  which 
was  filled  with  the  men  and  women  of  Winthrop. 
The  walls  bore  the  names  of  "Ball's  Bluff," 
"  Yorktown,"  "  Plains  Store,"  and  "  Port  Hud- 
son," and  the  colors  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment 
were  placed  upon  the  platform.  The  Governor  of 
the  Commonwealth,  several  members  of  his  staff, 
and  some  officers  who  had  seen  service,  were  pres- 
ent. In  answer  to  a  most  flattering  address  from 
an  eminent  and  venerable  citizen  of  Massachu- 
setts, Colonel  Bartlett  spoke  as  follows :  — 

MR.  CHAIRMAN  AND  FELLOW  CITIZENS,  —  I  could 
wish  that  it  had  been  your  fortune  to  present  this  testi- 
monial to  one  who  would  have  done  more  justice  to  it  in 
words  more  befitting  the  occasion  and  the  gift.  Had  I 
ycur  own  command  of  language  I  could  hardly  do  jua- 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       95 

tice  to  it.  If  in  the  performance  of  my  duties  as  a  sol- 
dier I  have  met  your  approbation,  I  am  truly  grateful 
for  it.  The  consciousness  of  duty  performed  is  in  itself 
a  sufficient  reward,  but  to  this  to-day  is  added  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  approval  and  applause  of  others,  and  the 
assurance  that  those  at  home  appreciate  our  sacrifices, 
and  that  it  is  to  keep  a  desolating  war  from  their  hearth- 
stones that  we  take  the  field.  You  in  this  quiet  North- 
ern town  know  little  of  the  misery  of  war,  and  the  des- 
olation that  follows  in  the  track  of  an  army.  If  some 
fine  day  you  should  see  an  army  file  into  your  fields, 
and  destroy  your  growing  harvests,  and  dig  a  rifle  pit  in 
your  garden,  or  cut  down  your  choicest  trees  because 
they  obstructed  the  view,  you  would  see  that  the  misery 
that  the  South  is  now  suffering  is  but  the  just  reward  of 
her  treachery  and  rebellion.  His  Excellency  has  just 
assured  me  of  his  confidence  by  placing  under  my  com- 
mand another  Massachusetts  regiment.  The  last  one  I 
had  the  honor  to  command  was  enlisted  for  only  nine 
months,  but  served  nearly  twelve,  and  I  believe  during 
that  term  had  its  full  share  of  danger,  and  I  never  knew 
of  its  disgracing  the  service  or  the  State.  Massachu- 
setts soldiers  never  do.  The  regiment  I  now  command 
will  serve  three  years,  and  it  is  proposed  to  end  the  war 
in  a  much  shorter  time ;  but  if  we  should  be  needed  for 
three  times  three  years,  we  have  enlisted  for  the  war. 
I  see  around  me  here  the  names  of  places  which  I  can- 
not soon  forget  —  places  where  I  have  known  the  sad- 
dest and  the  proudest  moments  of  my  life.  I  see  the 
tattered  flags  of  the  brave  old  Twentieth,  under  which 
my  earliest  duties  as  a  soldier  were  done  on  the  field  of 
battle.  If  the  names  of  all  the  gallant  men  who  have 


96      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

fought  and  fallen  around  you  in  your  defense  could  be 
inscribed  in  characters  of  gold  within  your  folds,  it  would 
be  a  fitting  tribute  of  their  devotion  to  the  cause  of  which 
you  are  to  us  the  hallowed  symbol.  You  at  home  hope 
that  this  war  will  soon  be  over,  and  we  hope  so  too,  but 
we  will  have  no  peace  but  an  honorable  one.  If  we 
would  have  a  lasting  peace,  we  must  realize  that  our 
honor,  our  safety,  our  very  existence  as  a  nation,  de- 
pend upon  our  self-sacrifice  and  our  valor.  You  must 
put  forth  every  exertion,  you  must  give  every  dollar, 
and  if  need  be  send  every  man,  until  we  can  win  a  vic- 
torious peace.  I  go  to  the  field  in  a  few  weeks  and 
shall  carry  this  beautiful  gift.  I  shall  bring  it  back,  if  I 
come,  bruised  and  disfigured  perhaps,  but  with  no  stain 
of  dishonor.  For  it,  and  for  this  flattering  ovation,  for 
the  presence  here  of  so  many  friends,  and  among  them 
one  whom  the  State  and  country  loves  and  honors  —  for 
this  day  never  to  be  forgotten  by  me,  I  thank  you. 

On  the  31st  of  March  he  writes  in  his  journal : 

" (one  of  his  most  valued  officers)  came 

back  last  night.  He  is  going  to  resign,  I  am  sorry 
to  say.  His  wife  has  persuaded  him.  It  is  the 
weakest  thing  I  ever  saw  in  him.  I  lose  faith  in 
man's  firmness  and  woman's  fortitude." 

On  the  14th  of  April,  the  Governor  visited  the 
camp  of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment,  and  pre- 
sented to  it  the  usual  set  of  regimental  colors. 
His  address  concluded  in  these  words  :  — 

I  commit  these  banners  to  you  as  an  officer,  as  a  citi- 
zen of  Massachusetts,  and  as  a  personal  friend  —  an 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.       97 

officer  firm  and  loyal,  a  citizen  faithful  and  patriotic,  a 
friend  in  whom  there  is  no  guile  —  with  a  satisfaction 
no  words  can  express.  And  whatever  fate  may  be  be- 
fore you,  I  know  that  neither  on  the  white  stripes  of  the 
one  flag  nor  the  white  field  of  the  other  will  there  ever 
fall  the  slightest  dishonor. 

Colonel  Bartlett  replied  as  follows :  — 

YOUR  EXCELLENCY,  —  I  hope,  sir,  we  shall  do  the 
flag  more  credit  in  action,  than  we  can  do  ourselves  in 
speech. 

MY  MEN  !  This  flag,  which  is  the  standard  of  our  own 
Massachusetts,  and  this  which  we  have  been  taught  to 
look  upon  as  the  sacred  emblem  of  our  nation,  have  to- 
day been  formally  entrusted  to  our  keeping,  to  carry 
and  defend,  by  the  Governor  of  our  State.  Can  I  say 
to  him  for  you,  that  you  will  try  to  do  honor  to  this 
trust  ?  That  you  will  carry  it  and  defend  it,  whenever 
and  wherever  duty  calls ;  that  you  will  never  desert, 
disown,  or  disgrace  it ;  that  you  will  swear  by  it,  pray 
for  it,  live  for  it,  and  if  need  be,  die  for  it ;  and  that  you 
will  devote  yourselves  to  its  service  until  it  shall  be 
feared  and  respected  throughout  the  recreant  South,  as 
it  is  loved  and  cherished  by  the  loyal  North  ? 

Ever  since  that  flag  was  insulted  by  traitors  in 
Charleston  harbor,  it  has  had  a  warmer  place  in  the 
heart  of  every  loyal  man.  When  her  high-toned  orators 
threatened  the  South's  rebellion  and  secession,  we  en- 
dured a  great  deal  of  personal  insult  and  abuse,  calmly 
and  silently.  But  when,  viper-like,  she  turned  and  fired 
upon  that  flag  which  had  shielded  and  protected  her,  she 
struck  a  blow  which  blood  alone  can  atone  for.  She 
7 


98      MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

made  a  blot  on  the  page  of  our  national  history  which 
we  are  in  arms  to-day  to  wipe  out.  As  it  went  slowly 
and  sullenly  down  on  those  battered  walls,  it  went  up 
like  magic  on  every  hill-top  and  tower,  on  every  steeple 
and  staff  throughout  the  North ;  and  nearer  and  dearer 
to  us  than  anything  else  on  earth,  and  reverenced  next 
to  our  religion,  is  that  old  flag  still. 

There  are  those  at  the  South  who,  still  true  to  their 
country,  are  waiting  silently  and  patiently  till  they  see 
the  gleam  of  its  folds  again  —  a  token  of  the  return  of 
good  government,  the  overthrow  of  despotism  and  re- 
bellion ;  and  there  are  those,  too,  who  wait  hopefully, 
prayerfully,  for  its  coming,  for  they  know  that  now  and 
hereafter,  wherever  that  flag  floats,  all  men  are  free. 

On  the  18th  of  April,  1864,  the  regiment  left 
Worcester,  nine  hundred  and  twenty-eight  strong. 
On  the  20th,  it  reached  Annapolis,  and  there  be- 
came part  of  the  First  Brigade,  First  Division, 
Ninth  Army  Corps.  It  took  up  the  march  on  the 
23d,  and  passed  through  Washington,  and  by  the 
30th  it  had  reached  Rappahannock  Station.  It 
marched  well  for  a  new  regiment,  for  in  the  last 
six  of  these  eight  days  it  accomplished  one  hun- 
dred and  one  miles. 

The  letters  which  Colonel  Bartlett  wrote,  and 
the  journal  entries  which  he  made  from  this  time, 
tell  the  story  of  his  experiences  and  feelings  so 
fully  that  it  is  well  to  leave  him  to  speak  for 
himself. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT,       99 

RAPPAHANNOCK  STATION,  VA.,  May  3,  1864. 
We  move  to-morrow  morning  with  the  grand  army  of 
Lhe  Potomac.  I  have  been  here  three  days,  and  not  found 
time  to  go  over  to  the  Twentieth,  only  five  miles  distant. 
My  regiment  is  in  no  condition  to  take  into  action,  but  I 
must  do  the  best  I  can.  It  will  be  a  long  and  hard  fight. 
God,  I  hope,  will  give  us  the  victory.  The  chances  I 
think  are  even.  Grant,  I  fear,  does  not  appreciate  Lee's 
ability,  nor  the  qualities  of  his  army.  Let  us  hope  for 

the  best I  am  very  well Give  me  twenty 

days  and  I  could  make  a  splendid  regiment  of  this,  but 
man  proposes  and  Grant  disposes.     Good-by. 

Ever  faithfully  yours.  FRANK. 

May  4.  Hard  marching.  Thrown  twice.  Not  hurt. 
Brier  caught  in  horse's  flesh.  Marching  till  four  A.  M. 

May  5.  To  Germanna  Ford.  Cross  Rap.  We  shall 
fight  to-morrow.  I  hope  I  may  get  through,  but  hardly 
expect  it.  His  will  be  done. 

May  6.  Move  at  three  A.  M.  to  the  front.  It  will  be 
a  bloody  day.  I  believe  I  am  prepared  to  die.  God 
bless  my  dear  friends  at  home,  —  mother,  father,  sisters, 
Agnes.  Went  into  action  about  eight.  Thick  woods. 
Men  behaved  well.  I  was  struck  in  head  about  eleven. 
Carried  to  rear.  Sent  to  the  hospital  in  rear.  Lay 
there  among  the  wounded  and  dying  till  night,  when 
there  was  a  falling  back,  and  I  was  put  in  an  ambulance  ; 
....  knocked  about  all  night.  I  slept  a  good  deal. 
Morning,  lay  under  some  trees  near  the  road  to  Chan- 
cellorsville.  Afternoon,  persuaded  to  go  in  ambulance  to 
Bappahannock,  thence  to  Washington,  with  rest  of  the 
wounded.  Went  to  Ely's  Ford.  Stayed  there  till  two 


100    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

A.  M.    Only  heard  of  five  of  my  officers  being  wounded. 

.  .  .  Colonel  Chandler  behaved  splendidly.  General 
Hancock  ordered  me  to  charge  over  a  regiment  lying  in 
front  of  us  that  would  not  move.  We  did  it  in  perfect 
line.  Hancock  said  "  Glorious  ! "  Saw  Macy,  as  I  was 
carried  to  rear,  wounded  in  leg. 

Sunday,  8th.  Ambulances  moved  to  Chancellorsville, 
halting  here  at  half  past  nine  A.  M.  Moved  to  Pine 
Grove  Church.  Park  wagons  here.  I  don't  know 
what  they  propose  to  do  with  us.  My  idea  is,  Grant 
is  getting  mixed.  Went  to  ambulance  Macy  was  in. 
Little  Abbott  is  dead.  I  knew  it  would  be  so.  Oh,  if 
I  could  only  have  seen  him !  Moved  at  six  for  Fred- 
ericksburg.  Halted  about  eleven  for  night.  The  loss 
in  my  regiment  is  great.  Nearly  two  hundred  killed 
and  wounded.  I  am  satisfied  with  their  conduct. 

May  9.  Moved  into  Fredericksburg  this  morning  at 
sunrise,  in  a  brick  house  here.  Lived  in  ambulance 
three  days  and  nights.  Long  enough.  I  have  been  to 
see  Macy.  It  seems  queer  for  him  to  be  here  —  the 
place  he  has  fought  in  and  fought  for  so  much.  I  am 
pretty  weak.  My  head  not  bad.  Stump  painful.  A 

week  or  two  will  set  me  right  again Very  long, 

long  day.  Sleep  on  the  floor  without  any  cover.  Not 
cold. 

May  10.  Long,  miserable  day.  Hear  that  Sedgwick 
is  killed.  I  would  rather  that  any  other  officer  in  the 
army  was  gone  than  he.  His  body  has  come.  Abbott's 
body  is  here  too.  Afternoon,  five  of  us  hired  a  wagon 
to  take  us  to  Belle  Plain.  Macy  wanted  to  go  more 
than  I  did,  so  I  gave  up  my  chance.  Very  hot.  Awful 
amount  of  suffering  here.  Very  little  attendance.  No 
supplies.  Here 's  a  chance  for  the  Sanitary. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    101 

May  11.     Start  at  ten  A.  M.  in  ambulance  for  Belle 

Plain,  fourteen  miles,  hard  road.     Colonel crazy 

most  of  the  time.  Got  on  board  transport  at  four  p.  M. 
....  Reached  Washington  at  eleven.  ....  Good  sup- 
per and  bath.  Bad  night,  delirious,  threatened  with 
fever. 

A  dramatic  incident  occurred  at  this  battle  of 
the  Wilderness.  Bartlett  and  Macy  had  last  seen 
each  other  in  the  field  on  the  24th  of  April,  1862, 
when  they  both  were  Captains  in  the  20th  Mas- 
sachusetts Infantry.  In  the  battle  of  the  Wilder- 
ness, they  were  wounded  nearly  at  the  same  time, 
and  as  they  emerged  from  the  woods,  Bartlett 
drooping  over  the  neck  of  his  horse  and  with  his 
arms  clinging  round  it,  and  Macy  borne  on  a 
stretcher,  they  met,  both  of  them  Colonels  of 
Massachusetts  Infantry  regiments.  It  was  a 
strange  chance  that  men  who  had  parted  with 
the  rank  of  captain,  should  next  meet  in  the  field 
more  than  two  years  after,  both  colonels,  serving 
in  different  corps  d'  armee,  and  both  wounded  in 
the  same  battle. 

WASHINGTON,  May  12, 1864. 

DEAR  MOTHER,  —  I  reached  here  last  night  from 
Fredericksburg.  I  was  hit  the  second  day's  fight  in  the 
Wilderness,  just  above  the  right  temple.  The  ball 
glanced  off,  only  making  a  slight  wound.  I  was  stunned 
for  a  short  time,  but  was  carried  to  the  rear  just  in  time 
to  avoid  being  taken  prisoner.  When  I  fell,  I  wrenched 
my  stump  so  that  it  has  been  very  painful,  and  I  am 


102    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

not  able  to  wear  my  leg.  Otherwise  I  should  not  have 
left  the  regiment.  I  have  been  living  ever  since  (this 
was  Friday,  sixth)  in  an  ambulance,  on  nothing  but  hard 
bread  and  whiskey.  I  had  a  bath  last  night,  and  a  bed, 
and  shall  soon  be  all  right.  It  has  been  continual 
marching  and  fighting  since  we  left  Rappahannock. 
Little  Abbott  you  know  is  killed.  Macy  wounded,  log. 
Bond  wounded,  and  hosts  of  others  whom  you  don't 
know.  Our  greatest  loss  is  Sedgwick.  I  shall  try  to 
get  a  few  days'  leave  to  go  on,  get  my  other  leg,  and 
have  it  fitted.  It  has  been  the  hardest  fighting  of  the 
war,  probably  the  hardest  in  history,  those  two  days  in 
the  Wilderness.  Our  loss  is  estimated  from  twenty  to 
thirty  thousand. 

With  much  love  to  all, 

Aff.  yours, 

W.  F.  B. 

May  12.  Pretty  miserable  this  morning Left 

at  twenty  minutes  past  five  for  Baltimore Good 

night's  sleep.  Plenty  of  quinine  has  kept  off  fever  so  far. 

May  13.  Much  better  this  morning.  Leave  Balti- 
more at  ten  A.  M.  Reach  New  York  at  seven  P.  M. 
Found  mother  and  father  here  at  Fifth  Avenue.  Cheers 
when  I  entered  the  hotel.  Great  excitement. 

May  19.     Leave  for  Boston. 

May  20.     Governor  is  to  write  Wilson  about  Brig. 

May  23.  Saw  Wilson  at  state-house.  Promised  to 
do  what  he  could  at  Washington.  If  he  does,  it  will  be 
all  right. 

June  3.  Reached  Washington Wilson  had 

Been  President.  Papers  had  gone  to  Secretary  cf  War. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    108 

June  4.  Went  to  Secretary.  Spoke  kindly.  Sent 
(sic)  my  papers  referred  to  General  Halleck.  I  ex- 
pect that  will  be  the  last  of  it. 

June  6.     To  Baltimore. 

BALTIMORE,  June  11,  1864. 

DEAR  FATHER:  —  I  received  your  letter  yesterday, 
and  could  not  imagine  what  you  meant  by  "  my  letter  in 
the  '  Post,' "  until  I  saw  the  paper  which  Sallie  received. 
I  should  have  thought  you  would  have  known  that  I 
never  wrote  such  a  letter  as  that.  It  is  disgraceful,  and 
I  will  give  a  month's  pay  to  find  out  who  wrote  it.  If 
it  was  any  man  or  officer  of  my  regiment,  I  pity  him. 
If  there  is  anything  I  detest  in  any  officer,  it  is  wri- 
ting to  a  newspaper.  Please  give  the  enclosed  to  Mr. 
Greene.  He  can  make  the  statement,  with  authority, 
without  publishing  my  communication.  Or  if  he  pre- 
fers, he  can  do  that.  I  have  written  to  the  Editor  of 
the  "  Springfield  Republican "  to  send  me  the  manu- 
script, that  I  may  find  out  who  has  taken  this  liberty 
with  my  name. 

I  leave  for  Washington  this  afternoon.  I  have  had 
a  very  pleasant  week  here,  and  am  much  better  than 
when  I  left  home.  I  shall  see  General  Augur  to- 
morrow. He  was  going  to  see  Halleck  when  I  came 
away,  with  what  result  I  do  not  yet  know.  Will  write 
you  from  Washington.  Love  to  all. 

In  haste, 
W.  F.  B. 

The  allusion  in  the  foregoing  letter  is  to  a  letter 
published  in  the  "  Boston  Post,"  and  copied  from 
the  "  Springfield  Republican."  It  purported  to  be 


104    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

written  by  Colonel  Bartlett,  and  was  a  vainglori- 
ous, poor  affair,  full  of  fulsome  praise  of  the  Fifty- 
seventh  Regiment,  and  of  disparaging  contrast  be- 
tween it  and  the  other  regiments  of  the  Division, 
and  utterly  unlike  Bartlett  in  every  respect.  Two 
or  three  days  after,  the  "  Post"  published  a  very 
short  communication  from  Colonel  Bartlett,  in 
which  he  pronounced  it  an  absolute  forgery. 

WASHINGTON,  June  14,  1864. 

Your  kind  letter  I  found  here  on  Sunday  last  when  I 
returned  from  Baltimore,  where  I  passed  last  week  very 
quietly.  I  am  much  better  than  when  I  left  you,  and 
feel  that  I  am  improving  every  day.  I  had  a  slight  re- 
lapse o'n  Sunday  for  some  reason  or  other.  I  had  been 
to  church  in  the  morning,  and  as  I  got  out  of  the  carriage 
At  the  house  I  had  a  severe  pain  strike  me 

I  went  to  dinner  in  the  afternoon,  but  this  pain  in- 
creased so,  that  I  had  to  leave  the  table.  I  came  very 
near  tipping  over;  I  never  was  so  faint  before,  simply 
from  pain.  I  was  alarmed,  as  that  was  a  new  spot  for 
me  to  have  pain,  and  I  could  not  account  for  it.  I  took 
off  my  leg,  and  in  ten  minutes  the  pain  had  almost  en- 
tirely gone. 

I  came  to  Washington  that  night,  expecting  to  go 
down  to  the  front  this  morning,  but  the  Medical  Director 
here  advised  so  strongly  my  waiting  a  few  days  longer 
that  I  have  consented.  He  explained  the  attack  of 
Sunday  by  saying  that  the  socket  must  have  pressed 
induly  upon,  or  strained,  some  particular  nerve  (I  for- 
get what  it  was,  and  you  would  not  know  if  I  should 
tell  you),  and  the  pain  was  from  sympathy  or  connection 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    105 

with  this  nerve.  I  was  relieved  to  know  that  it  was 
nothing  worse.  I  have  had  one  or  two  very  slight 
touches  since.  Surgeon  says  I  must  begin  moderately 
in  using  my  leg. 

I  have  not  been  to  the  President  with  your  father's 
letter.  The  fact  is,  I  can't  make  up  my  mind  to  go  to 
these  men  and  ask  for  anything.  It  was  very  kind  of 
your  father  to  write  such  a  letter  for  me.  I  only  in- 
tended to  ask  for  a  simple  note  of  introduction,  to  say 
that  my  name  was  B.  and  he  knew  it.  General  Augur 
has  been  to  see  Stanton,  and  I  hear  that  the  papers  have 
been  referred  to  General  Halleck.  I  suppose  they  will 
be  pigeon-holed  somewhere,  and  that  will  be  the  last  of 
it.  I  should  have  liked  to  have  it  come  from  Stanton, 
as  he  voluntarily  promised,  and  if  it  does  come  at  all, 
it  must  come  of  itself;  for  I  should  be  a  very  poor  hand 
pulling  wires,  or  urging  anything  of  the  sort. 

There  are  doubtless  plenty  of  easy  berths  here  that  I 
could  have  for  the  asking ;  but  I  don't  want  them.  I 
feel  that  I  am  not  adapted  for  office  business  here,  such 
as  provost-marshal,  etc.  If  I  am  of  any  value,  it  is  in 
the  field,  in  the  actual  handling  and  government  of 
troops. 

Still,  it  seems  pretty  hard  for  me  to  go  down  there 
and  take  command  of  my  one  hundred  men,  a  captain's 
command,  after  the  larger  ones  that  I  have  had.  I 
heard  from  the  regiment  to-day.  It  has  a  good  reputa- 
tion throughout  the  corps.  All  speak  of  Colonel  Chan- 
dler's splendid  bravery  and  coolness. 
Believe  me  dear  Frank, 

As  ever,  yours, 

F.  B. 


106    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

I  think  of  poor  Lit.  so  often,  Frank;  I  can't  realize 
that  I  am  never  to  see  him  any  more. 

I  went  to  the  Hospital  yesterday  to  see  Crowell,  of  I 
(Twentieth)  ;  do  you  remember  him  ?  He  has  lost  a 
leg.  He  seemed  very  glad  to  see  me,  and  I  was  able  to 
make  him  more  comfortable.  He  asked  about  you. 

F. 

June  12.  At  Baltimore.  Bad  pain  at  dinner  time. 
To  Washington. 

June  13.  Saw  General  Augur.  Halleck  had  not  re- 
ceived my  papers  when  he  was  there.  Got  my  pass  ex- 
tended ten  days.  Shall  go  down  in  disgust  before  that 
unless  I  hear  from  Brig. 

June  14.  Went  to  Halleck's  office.  Found  my 

papers  had  been  returned  to  Secretary  of  War 

Went  up  to  Senate.  Saw  Sumner,  Anthony,  etc.,  Per- 
ley  Poore.  Received  a  document  printed  from  Pome- 
roy.  Nomination  of  W.  F.  B.  for  Brigadier-general 
Volunteers,  to  my  great  surprise.  So  I  am  at  last 
really  appointed.  Now  if  I  am  confirmed  it  will  give 
me  new  heart.  Saw  Wilson,  evening.  Will  put  it 
through  this  week.  Vive  la  Guerre  ! 

June  21.  I  was  waked  this  morning  by  James,  com- 
ing in  and  reading  to  me  that  the  Senate  last  night  con- 
firmed W.  F.  B.  to  be  Brigadier-general  Volunteers. 
Thank  God  !  Went  to  Baltimore,  evening. 

June  24.     To  Washington. 

June  28.  Received  my  commission  as  Brigadier-gen- 
eral, date  June  20.  Go  to  Ninth  Corps. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    107 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  July  1, 1864. 

Here  it  is  July,  Frank,  and  I  am  not  out  of  this  miser- 
able place  yet.  I  expect  now  to  go  down  to  the  front 
the  first  of  next  week.  I  am  assigned  to  the  Ninth 
Corps,  and  shall  keep  the  same  brigade  that  I  was  in 
before.  It  was  very  strong,  —  five  regiments  Massachu- 
setts and  two  United  States.  Since  I  came  away,  the 
Regulars  have  been  transferred  to  the  Fifth  Corps.  I 
shall  probably  have  no  permanent  staff  at  present.  As 
soon  as  we  have  a  respite  and  reorganize  a  little,  I  shall 
try  to  get  together  a  congenial  and  efficient  one.  Ben 
has  been  waiting  for  my  promotion,  to  go  on  the  staff. 
I  have  written  him  that  it  is  a  bad  time  to  join  just 
now, —  heat,  dirt,  reduced  commands,  etc.,  —  and  it  may 
discourage  him.  Of  course  it  will  be  pleasant  for  me 
to  have  him  for  a  companion.  Herbert  is  here  now. 
Goes  back  to-night.  He  would  like  to  go  with  me  if  he 
could  ride.  He  gets  very  impatient  and  blue  at  times. 
If  he  could  only  ride ! 

Yes,  Frank,  I  have  got  my  commission  at  last,  signed 
by  Abe  and  Stanton.  Gotten  up  in  great  style,  in  a 
brown  tin  case,  with  my  name,  rank,  etc.,  in  large  letters 
of  gold  on  the  outside.  The  appointment  was  made 
early  in  June,  but  the  Senate  had  no  executive  session 
till  the  20th.  You  were  right,  Frank,  in  addressing  my 
letter  as  you  did,  although  the  confirmation  was  made 
when  I  got  it.  I  was  very  much  annoyed  by  receiving 
letters  of  congratulation,  etc.,  before  the  confirmation. 
Meant  in  all  kindness,  of  course ;  but  I  was  sorry  that 
anything  was  known  about  it  until  it  was  confirmed.  I 
saw  it,  the  appointment,  in  the  paper  (Boston  paper  at 
that)  first,  just  after  I  wrote  you  last  I  must  say  I 
hardly  expected  it. 


108    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

The  weather  here  has  been  fearfully  hot.  Almost  un- 
bearable. I  gave  a  small  dinner  night  before  last  at 
Buhler's ;  Majors  Cutting  and  Raymond,  of  Augur's 
Staff,  Caspar  and  Herb.,  with  one  or  two  others,  made  a 
very  pleasant  little  party.  Buhler  quite  surpassed  my 
expectations.  It  is  the  best  place  in  Washington,  I 
think,  although  I  heard  that  it  had  fallen  off. 

Yesterday,  Herb,  and  I  drove  out  to  Fall's  Church,  to 
Caspar's  Camp.  I  have  found  myself  many  times  this 
last  week  wishing  that  you  were  here;  but  you  were 
enjoying  the  cool  breezes  which  I  could  not  have  pro- 
cured for  you  here,  and  were  better  off. 

I  have  too  much  in  my  mind  that  I  want  to  say  to 
you  to  begin  to  put  it  on  paper. 

The  "  gobbling  "  of  the  old  brigade  that  the  Twenti- 
eth was  in  was  an  unlucky  termination  to  a  long  and 
brave  career.  I  am  glad  the  Twentieth  escaped. 

I  am  getting  quite  thin.  My  stump  gets  smaller  every 
day.  I  have  two  thicknesses  of  leather,  and  two  or 
three  wads  of  paper  round  my  stump,  to  fill  up  the 
socket.  If  it  continues  to  wilt,  I  shall  have  to  get  an- 
other new  socket  made,  which  will  delay  me. 

Ever  yours,  FRANK. 

From  the  1st  to  the  17th  of  July,  he  was  mov- 
ing about  busily.  From  Washington  he  went 
to  Baltimore,  thence  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  re- 
ceived many  gratifying  attentions,  thence  to  New 
York,  and  thence  to  Pittsfield,  where  he  records 
in  his  journal,  "  Very  grateful  for  God's  mercy 
and  loving  kindness."  From  Pittsfield  he  went 
to  his  home  at  Winthrop,  and  from  there  he  re- 
turned to  Washington. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    109 

WASHINGTON,  July  18,  1864. 

I  have  only  time  to  write  a  few  words  to-night  to  say 
good-by.  I  was  very  much  disappointed  at  not  seeing 
you  the  day  I  was  in  Boston.  You  know  I  was  n't 
there  quite  twenty-four  hours ;  did  not  see  Macy  or 
Arthur.  I  was  anxious  to  get  back  here,  because  I  did 
not  know  what  this  raid  might  amount  to.  JEntre  nous, 
this  little  town  came  nearer  being  taken  last  week  than 
you  or  I  imagined.  One  Major-general,  who  talked 
to  me  to-day  about  it,  thinks  they  will  be  back  again 
soon.  The  Sixth  Corps  returns  to  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  at  once,  likewise  the  Nineteenth  Corps. 

I  saw  O.  W.  Holmes  a  moment  this  morning.  He 
goes  home  to  be  mustered  out.  I  send  you  a  poor  pho- 
tograph taken  from  a  larger  picture  which  Brady  has  of 
me  here.  They  are  not  good.  I  go  down  to  Peters- 
burg to-morrow.  I  can't  tell  you  how  much  I  regret 
having  missed  an  hour  with  you  last  Thursday,  but 
trust  we  are  yet  to  have  our  little  talk  out. 

I  found  your  "  In  Memoriam  "  here  on  my  return. 
I  like  it  very  much.  Write  to  me  when  you  have 
plenty  of  leisure,  Frank  (First  Division  Ninth  Corps), 
and  don't  forget  to  remember 

Yours, 

FRANK  BARTLETT. 

Pardon  the  haste,  brevity,  and  style  of  this  letter,  and 
heap  coals  of  fire  on  my  head  in  return.  Good-by. 

F. 

You  are  at  liberty  to  burn  the  picture  if  you  object 
to  it. 


110    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

On  the  19th  of  July,  1864,  he  left  Washington 
for  the  army  in  front  of  Petersburg,  going  to  City 
Point  by  way  of  Fortress  Monroe,  to  take  com- 
mand of  the  First  Brigade  of  Ledlie's  Division, 
Ninth  Army  Corps. 

July  21.  Steady  firing  all  the  time.  Headquarters 
under  shell  and  bullets.  Danger  of  being  hit  any  minute, 
asleep  or  awake.  I  expect  I  shall  get  killed  as  soon  as 
I  go  down  to  the  lines. 

July  22.  I  assume  command  to-morrow.  Hate  to 
relieve  Colonel  Gould,  who  has  done  so  well.  I  must 
write  home  to-morrow.  They  must  be  prepared  to  hear 
bad  news  any  moment.  Under  fire  constantly.  As  I 
write,  a  bullet  strikes  the  tree  near  the  tent.  Another 
goes  humming  a  few  feet  over.  People  at  home  do  not 
appreciate  what  this  army  is  doing  and  suffering  for 
them. 

July  23.  Assume  command  of  First  Brigade 

Quiet  day.  Occasional  bullets  through  camp 

10  P.  M.  The  bullets  are  flying  through  here  very 
lively  to-night. 

"  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep, 
I  pray  the  Lord  my  soul  to  keep, 
If  I  should  die  before  I  wake  .... 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE,  FIRST  DIVISION, 

NINTH  ARMY  CORPS. 
BEFORE  PETERSBURG,  VA.,  July  23,  1864.    Evening. 

MY  DEAR  MOTHER, —  This  is  the  first  day  since  I 
left  Washington  that  I  have  been  able  to  write  at  all. 
Perhaps  you  will  have  thought  that  you  ought  to  hear 
from  me  before  this  reaches  you ;  but  I  have  taken  the 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETt1.    Ill 

first  opportunity  and  have  not  forgotten  your  injuno- 
tions.  I  left  Washington  Tuesday  p.  M.,  reached  here 
Wednesday  P.  M.  Came  from  Fortress  Monroe  on  de- 
spatch boat  with  General  Ingalls,  Chief  Quartermaster 
of  Army,  with  whom  I  dined  at  City  Point,  where  his 
headquarters  are.  By  chance  found  the  Chaplain  at 
the  Point,  and  sent  for  my  horses.  Ned  and  Billy  were 
both  looking  finely.  After  dinner  started  for  the  front. 
Got  as  far  as  my  Quartermaster's  camp,  and  as  it  began 
to  rain,  I  stayed  there  all  night  with  him.  I  slept  ver^ 
well  my  first  night  on  the  ground.  In  the  morning  a 
black  snake  over  six  feet  long  was  killed  within  a  few 
feet  of  my  bed.  After  breakfast,  rode  on  up  to  Division 
Hospital,  where  I  found  Dr.  White,  and  several  old  let- 
ters, among  them  the  Nut's  of  June  6,  which  I  found 
time  to  read  to-day.  Afterwards  went  to  Burnside's 
Headquarters  to  report  for  duty.  He  was  not  in.  I 
dined  with  some  of  the  staff;  saw  the  General  later. 
He  was  glad  to  see  me.  I  am  assigned,  as  I  supposed,  to 
the  command  of  the  First  Brigade,  First  Division.  Gen- 
eral Ledlie  commands  the  Division.  There  are  now  six 
Massachusetts  regiments  and  one  Pennsylvania  in  the 
brigade,  not  numbering  more  than  1,300  men  altogether, 
present  for  duty.  If  the  regiments  were  filled  up  it 
would  be  one  of  the  largest  and  best  brigades  in  the 
Army,  being  all  Massachusetts  troops.  I  am  trying  to 
get  C.  B.  Amory,  of  Jamaica  Plains,  formerly  of  the 
Twenty-fourth  Regiment,  who  has  been  appointed  As- 
sistant Adjutant-general,  transferred  to  this  brigade. 
I  shall  use  for  the  present  the  staff  that  is  here  .... 
the  surgeon,  a  Dr.  Ingalls,  of  Boston,  Fifty-ninth  Regi- 
ment, who  is  very  much  of  a  gentleman.  I  slept  last 


112  MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

night  and  the  night  before  at  Division  Headquarters  with 
Adjutant-general  Mills,  Fifty-sixth.  He  was  hoping  that 
I  would  take  the  Division,  but  it  seems  Ledlie  has  with- 
drawn his  resignation.  The  brigade  is  in  two  lines  of 
breastworks,  one  hundred  yards  apart,  in  the  front  of 
the  enemy's  works  and  within  two  hundred  yards  in 
some  places.  Brigade  Headquarters  are  two  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  in  rear  of  the  second  line.  Division 
Headquarters  two  hundred  yards  in  rear  of  brigade ; 
so  you  see  all  are  in  easy  musket  range  of  the  enemy. 
"We  are  in  pine  woods,  the  trees  not  very  thick.  The 
Headquarters  have  to  be  protected  by  a  stockade  of  logs 
against  bullets,  which  are  constantly  coming  through 
here.  Four  officers  of  the  Fifty-seventh  have  been  hit 
since  I  got  here,  one  killed,  three  very  badly  wounded, 
in  the  second  line.  Our  stockade  does  not  protect  us 
against  shells,  which  fall  in  front  and  rear  of  us,  but 
have  not  hit  the  Headquarters  yet.  Some  fall  way  in 
the  rear  of  Division  Headquarters,  and  some  near  Corps 
Headquarters,  which  are  about  one  fourth  of  a  mile  in 
rear  of  Division.  We  have  a  stockade  to  protect  the 
horses,  too,  but  one  of  the  orderlies'  horses  and  one  of 
General  Ledlie's  were  killed  the  other  day.  A  bullet 
goes  whizzing  over  my  tent  every  few  minutes  as  I 
write,  and  goes  thud  into  one  of  the  trees  near,  with 
a  sound  that  makes  you  think  what  a  headache  that 
would  have  given  you  if  your  head  had  been  where  the 
tree  was.  The  bullets  patter  like  rain  at  times  against 
the  outside  of  this  stockade  of  logs,  the  inside  of  which 
my  elbow  touches  as  I  write.  It  is  a  continual  rattle  of 
musketry,  sometimes  swelling  into  a  roar  along  the  line, 
and  varied  with  the  artillery  and  mortars.  So  you  see 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    113 

we  are  liable  at  any  moment  to  be  struck,  even  while 
reading  a  paper  or  eating  dinner.  A  bullet  went 
through  Dr.  Anderson's  table  as  he  was  eating  break- 
fast this  morning.  You  must  be  prepared  to  hear  the 
worst  of  me  at  any  time.  God  grant  it  may  not  come, 
for  your  sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  all  I  love  and  who  love 
me  at  home.  But  you  must  be  prepared  for  it.  It  is 
wearing  to  body  and  mind,  this  being  constantly  under 
fire.  People  at  the  North  who  are  enjoying  themselves 
and  thinking  of  nothing  but  making  money,  little  ap- 
preciate what  this  brave  army  is  enduring  every  day  and 
hour  for  them,  and  how  much  more  cheerful  and  hope- 
ful they  are  than  people  at  home.  I  wish  some  of  the 
patriotic  (?)  ones  at  home  who  are  making  speeches  (and 
money),  would  just  come  out  here  and  spend  a  week, 
even  back  here  at  my  Headquarters.  They  would  not 
care  to  go  down  to  the  lines  where  the  men  are  day  and 
night  fighting  for  their  security  and  safety.  I  came 
over  here  this  morning  and  assumed  command.  To- 
morrow I  must  go  down  and  examine  the  lines,  which 
is  of  course  dangerous ;  but  trust  I  shall  get  back  safely. 
I  shan't  go  there  any  oftener  than  is  necessary,  but  it  is 
my  duty  to  visit  them  occasionally.  To  give  you  an 
idea  of  the  firing  that  is  going  on  constantly,  I  will 
count  the  shots  in  the  next  minute.  It  is  more  quiet 
than  usual  to-night.  Eighty-one,  and  one  heavy  mortar 
shell,  which  burst  in  the  air  between  here  and  second 
line,  but  sounded  as  if  it  were  in  the  next  tent. 
"There!"  at  that  moment  a  bullet  went  whizzing 
through  between  mine  and  the  one  next,  just  above  the 
stockade  (which  is  a  little  higher  than  your  head  when 
Bitting),  and  struck  down  somewhere  between  here  and 
8 


114    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

Division  Headquarters,  near  where  the  horses  are.  So 
you  see  this  letter  is  written  literally  under  fire.  I  am 
feeling  very  well,  my  leg  is  better  in  the  saddle  than  it 
was  before.  I  have  got  my  valise,  etc.,  and  shall  be 
quite  comfortable  in  a  day  or  two  (under  the  circum- 
stances), if  I  am  spared  so  long.  I  intend  to  have  this 
stockade  built  higher  to-morrow,  so  as  to  afford  more 
protection  from  bullets.  If  the  rebs  knew  just  where 
our  Headquarters  are,  they  would  shell  us  out  from 
here  in  three  minutes  ;  but  fortunately  they  don't,  and 
can  only  guess.  They  guess  inconveniently  near  at 
times.  As  I  may  not  have  time  to  write,  you  can  let 
Frank  Palfrey  and  Ben  see  this  letter,  if  you  see  them, 
and  if  the  Nut  chooses  to  copy  it  she  can,  and  send  it  to 
Aunt. 

There  goes  another  bullet.  Frank  Palfrey  will 
readily  understand  and  appreciate  our  position  here.  I 
hope  I  shall  hear  from  you  soon.  The  mail  comes  reg- 
ularly every  night.  I  will  write  as  often  as  I  can. 
Have  other  letters  to  write  to-night,  so  will  finish  this. 
There  is  one  pleasant  thing  to  relieve  the  wear  of  this, 
—  I  have  a  good  band  here  at  Headquarters,  and  it 
plays  at  intervals  through  the  day  and  evening,  pro- 
tected by  a  stockade.  The  rebs  have  the  benefit  of  it 
as  much  as  I  do,  but  I  can't  help  it.  They  favor  us 
with  a  band  sometimes.  Tell  the  Nut  and  Miss  Barnett 
that  they  just  played  "  When  Johnny  comes  Marching 
Home,"  and  "  Faust."  "  Thud  ;  "  there  go  two  ugly  bul- 
lets into  a  tree  near  by,  one  of  them,  George  thinks,  went 
through  the  upper  part  of  the  tent.  How  should  you 
like  to  lie  down  and  go  to  sleep  with  this  going  on  all 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    115 

aight  ?    I  expect   to   sleep   soundly.     I  have  for  two 
nights.     With  much  love  to  all, 

Ever  your  affectionate  son, 

W.  F.  B. 

Zip  prrrrrr  goes  the  last  bullet  you  will  hear,  for  I 
close  this  now.  That  one  went  over  to  Division  Head- 
quarters. Here 's  another  before  I  could  get  my  pen 
off  the  paper.  Good-night. 

July  24.  Quiet  night.  I  go  now  down  to  the  lines. 
I  hope  I  may  get  safely  back.  If  not,  His  will  be  done. 
....  Went  through  the  second  line.  Got  back  safely, 
thank  God Bullets  flying  very  lively  to-night. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE. 

July  24,  1864, 10  P.  M. 

DEAR  MOTHER,  —  I  write,  as  I  promised.  I  got 
back  safely  from  the  lines.  Just  before  I  went  there,  a 
captain  of  the  Fifty-sixth  and  two  lieutenants  of  the 
Fifty-seventh  were  badly  wounded  by  a  shell  which  fell 
and  exploded  where  they  were  sitting.  Lieutenant 
Bowman  of  the  Fifty-seventh  cannot  live. 

This  makes  six  officers  of  the  Fifty-seventh  who  have 
been  killed  or  badly  wounded  since  I  have  been  here. 
It  is  too  bad.  The  firing  has  not  ceased  since  I  wrote 
you  last,  nor  indeed  since  I  first  got  within  sound  of  it. 
The  bullets  are  singing  around  my  tent  as  usual.  Spat ! 
there  goes  one  into  the  tree,  making  the  bark  fly.  It  is 
raining  to-night,  but  it  does  not  diminish  the  ardor  of 
these  patriotic  sportsmen,  who  keep  up  their  target 
practice  with  great  zeal. 

The  weather  has  been  very  cool  and  pleasant. 

I  slept  beautifully  last  night,  and  hope  to  to-night. 


116    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Love  to  all  at  home.    No  letters  yet ;  two  Advertisers 

to-night,  —  20th,  21st 

Affectionately, 

W.  F.  B. 

Did  I  tell  you  I  went  over  to  see  the  Twentieth  yes- 
terday ?  Saw  Patten,  John  Perry,  and  Dr.  Hay  ward. 
They  are  a  mile  and  a  half  in  rear  of  us. 

July  25 General  of  trenches  to-morrow 

Relieved  Colonel  Thomas,  who  was  at  Pittsfield  when  I 
went  there  first.  He  commands  negro  brigade.  How 
we  drift  together  and  separate  in  this  world  ! 

July  26.  Brigade  reviewed  by  General  Ledlie.  Did 
not  make  very  good  appearance.  Officers,  even  of  old 

regiments,  ignorant Shell  burst  all  around  these 

Headquarters  in  a  very  disagreeable  way.  I  pray  hourly 
that  I  may  be  spared. 

July  27 Shells  this  p.  M.  come  fearfully  close. 

Orders  to  be  ready  to  move  at  a  moment's  notice 

God  spare  me  for  Agnes'  sake  and  for  dear  mother's 
sake !  I  fear  it  will  break  their  hearts  if  I  am  killed 
here.  That  is  what  makes  it  all  the  harder  for  me, 
thinking  of  their  grief. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE,   FIRST  DIVISION,  NINTH   A.  C. 
BEFORE  PETERSBURG,  VA.,  July  27,  1864. 

Yours  of  the  21st-24th  reached  me  last  evening.  It 
is  pleasant  to  hear  you  talk,  even  at  this  distance,  where 
the  sound  of  artillery  and  musketry  is  heard  from  the 
time  you  wake  till  you  sleep  again.  A  stranger,  if  he 
should  at  this  moment  be  put  down  at  my  Headquarters 
to  make  a  little  friendly  visit,  would  hardly  be  prepared 
to  carry  on  a  connected  conversation  with  these  mortar 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    117 

shells  bursting  over  and  around  him.  At  this  very  in- 
stant one  explodes,  two  —  three — just  over  and  in  rear 
of  these  tents.  It  is  wonderful  how  we  escape.  The 
pieces  go  humming  in  all  directions.  My  stockade  stops 
all  bullets,  so  that  while  behind  that  I  am  safe  from 
those.  But  these  shells  are  inconveniently  searching, 
and  dropped  with  a  precision  which  would  interest  an 
amateur  (if  he  was  iron-plated). 

I  don't  know  how  long  this  thing  is  •  to  continue. 
The  Second  Corps  crossed  the  James  at  Deep  Bottom 
this  A.  M.  at  daylight,  and  has  met  with  some  success,  so 
a  telegram  from  Headquarters  tells  us.  Taken  four 
guns,  etc.  My  brigade  is  under  orders  to  move  at  a 
moment's  notice,  being  in  the  reserve  line  to-day.  (We 
occupy  the  front  line  by  brigades.)  I  should  n't  be  very 
sorry  to  leave  this  place.  General  Ledlie  still  commands 
the  Division.  He  has  not  been  confirmed,  but  he  ranks 
me  by  appointment.  He  is  not  much  liked  by  the  of- 
ficers of  the  Division,  and  it  seems  they  hoped  I  was  to 
succeed  him,  but  I  think  I  had  rather  try  a  brigade  be- 
fore I  venture  any  higher,  although  the  whole  Division 
does  not  number  so  many  as  a  full  brigade  of  four  regi- 
ments should.  I  have  six  Massachusetts  regiments  and 
one  Pennsylvania. 

I  am  glad  McLaughlin  has  the  Fifty-seventh.  If  he 
fills  it  up  it  will  make  a  good  regiment. 

I  am  to  have  Charlie  Amory,  of  Jamaica  Plains,  for 
A.  A.  General,  a  very  good  one,  I  am  told.  Tom  Ste- 
venson had  him  appointed  for  him.  Frank  Wells,  of 
H.  U.  1864,  I  have  asked  to  have  commissioned  in  the 
Fifty-seventh  to  make  an  aide  of.  He  is  a  gentleman, 
slever  I  believe,  and  has  seen  a  little  service.  There  is 


118    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

quite  a  collection  of  alumni  here.  Mills,  Jarvis,  Weld, 
1860 ;  Shurtleff,  Lamb,  of  1861.  Mills  is  to  be  made 
Captain  and  A.  A.  G.,  I  hear.  I  wish  we  were  together 
this  warm  day,  and  certainly  don't  wish  that  you  were 
here. 

Paradoxical  as  it  may  seem,  I  have  a,  floor  to  my  tent 
of  "  store  boards,"  and  a  bunk  of  the  same,  with  hay  in 
it.  A  meal  at  Corps  Headquarters  keeps  fresh  in  your 
memory  the- existence  of  ice,  claret,  etc.  It  is  like  griz 
zly  bear  hunting.  So  long  as  you  hunt  the  bear  it  ia 
very  pleasant  pastime ;  but  if  the  bear  takes  it  into  his 
head  to  hunt  you,  it  has  its  drawbacks.  I  hope  I  shall 
pull  through  safely,  Frank,  and  get  to  see  you  again; 
but  when  or  where,  is  beyond  my  ken. 

I  think  physically  I  shall  be  able  to  endure  it,  al- 
though this  siege  work,  which  won't  admit  of  the  use  of 
a  horse,  but  requires  that  you  should  move  very  lively 
across  certain  localities  marked  "  Dangerous,"  is  pretty 
severe. 

I  have  much  that  I  must  leave  unsaid,  but  not  the 
injunction  to  write  me  a  few  lines  when  you  can. 

With  kind  remembrances  to  all  your  family, 

I  remain  ever  yours,  FRANK. 

Friday,  July  29.     Very  warm Afternoon,  sent 

for,  Division  Headquarters.  We  storm  the  works  to- 
morrow at  daylight  Our  Division  leads.  I  hardly  dare 

hope  to  live  through  it     God  have  mercy If  I 

could  only  ride,  or  had  two  legs,  so  I  could  lead  my 
brigade,  I  believe  they  would  follow  me  anywhere.  I 
will  try  as  it  is.  God  have  pity  on  dear  mother,  Agnes, 
and  all  loved  ones.  March  the  brigade  at  one  and  half 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    119 

(July  30)  through  covered  way  to  front  line.  Mine  sprung 
at  4.40.  We  rushed  across  the  open  field.  I  got  up  to 
the  enemy's  works  about  as  soon  as  any  one.  Got  into 
the  crater.  Took  the  first  and  second  lines  of  the  enemy. 
Held  them  till  after  one,  when  we  were  driven  back  by 
repeated  charges.  I  fought  them  for  an  hour  after  they 
held  the  whole  line,  excepting  the  crater  where  we  were, 
their  flag  within  seven  feet  of  ours  across  the  work. 
They  threw  bayonets  and  bottles  on  us,  and-  we  returned, 
for  we  got  out  of  ammunition.  At  last,  to  save  further 
slaughter,  there  being  no  hope  of  our  being  rescued,  we 
gave  it  up.  That  crater  during  that  day  I  shall  never 
forget.  A  shell  knocked  down  a  bowlder  of  clay  on  to 
my  wood  leg  and  crushed  it  to  pieces,  killing  the  man 
next  me.  I  surrendered  to  General  Mahone. 

July  31.  Slept  on  a  field  of  stones  last  night,  negroes 
and  all  together,  without  any  covering.  Not  cold. 
Nothing  to  eat  all  this  time.  Start  for  town  of  Peters- 
burg. I  was  carried  in  ambulance.  My  belt  taken  from 
me  by  Captain  Porter,  Provost  Marshal  Hill's  corps,  the 
thief.  Put  on  small  island  near  the  South  Side  Railroad 
depot.  No  shelter  or  food.  I  drink  too  much  water. 
Thirst  makes  me  crazy.  We  wouldn't  treat  cattle  as 
we  are  being  treated.  Slept  on  some  straw  to  night ;  de- 
lirious all  night.  Very  weak.  I  cannot  touch  the  food, 
—  raw  bacon. 

August  1.  Start  this  A.  M.  for  Danville.  Ride  in 
dirty  freight  cars.  Got  to  Burkesville  Junction  about 
iJiiie.  Wait  there  all  day  long  in  heat  and  dirt.  Am 
getting  weaker  every  hour.  Train  does  not  come  for  us 
till  nearly  nine  P.  M.  So  full  that  I  had  to  ride  on  nar- 
row platform  of  last  car,  which  was  a  passenger-car,  the 


120    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

conductor's,  but  he  would  not  let  us  go  in  it.  So  thret 
of  us  sat  on  this  place  all  night,  —  Colonel  Marshall, 
Captain  Amory,  and  I,  —  the  most  horrible  night  I  ever 
passed.  Could  not  sleep,  all  cramped  up.  Humane 
treatment  of  a  prisoner  of  my  rank,  sick  and  wounded. 
Southern  chivalry  !  Reached  Danville  early. 

Tuesday,  August  2.  Carried  in  a  dirty  wagon  without 
any  cover  to  the  prison,  a  filthy  place,  an  old  warehouse 
and  stores.  We  were  on  the  first  floor,  about  three 
hundred,  as  thick  as  we  could  lie.  No  ventilation.  I 
saw  the  Doctor  in  the  morning ;  he  said  he  would  send 
me  to  the  hospital.  I  could  not  eat  anything ;  am  fever- 
ish and  so  weak.  No  crutches.  I  have  to  be  partly 
carried,  partly  hop  along,  when  I  move.  Ration  issued, 
corn  bread,  thick  loaf,  and  bacon.  I  can't  touch  either; 
still  drink  water.  If  I  do  not  get  away  from  here  very 
soon,  I  never  shall.  Wagon  came  for  me  about  six,  an 
open  wagon  or  cart,  used  to  carry  bacon  in,  all  covered 
with  dirt  and  grease ;  gravel  spread  on  the  bottom  to 
cover  the  grease ;  ride  over  rough  road  to  hospital ; 
am  in  a  tent,  old  and  ragged,  but  airy;  good  breeze. 
(Small-pox.) 

Wednesday,  3d.  Hospital  outside  Danville.  The  past 
few  days  seem  like  a  horrible  dream  which  I  can  never 
forget.  The  misery  that  I  have  suffered  is  more  than  I 
can  ever  tell.  I  was  brought  here  that  night  in  a  filthy 
cart  from  the  prison.  I  could  not  have  lived  there  much 
longer.  I  have  a  straw  bed  here  and  slept  well  last 
night.  Got  some  milk  this  morning.  Pain  in  my 
Dowels  very  bad ;  very  weak.  Sent  for  tooth-brush  this 
morn,  by  Doctor,  $6.  Milk,  $1  pt.  I  suppose  they  are 
rery  anxious  at  home  about  me.  I  hope  I  shall  be  able 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS   BART  LETT.    121 

to  write  soon ;  will  try  to  write  up  the  past  few  days. 
Wagon  sent  for  me  to  go  back  to  prison  —  said  I  could 
not  go.  Wrote  a  note  to  Major  Morfit,  commanding, 
telling  I  was  too  weak.  He  let  me  stay.  Took  the 
captain  who  was  here. 

Thursday,  4th.  Get  no  better,  yet  wrote  to  General 
Lee  and  Secretary  of  War  this  morning,  asking  for  my 
exchange  or  parole.  I  hope  they  are  not  much  worried 
at  home.  I  am  glad  they  do  not  know  the  truth. 
Much  pain  still;  bowels  very  weak;  no  appetite.  No 
one  can  ever  know  the  misery  that  I  have  suffered  the 
past  few  days.  I  don't  know  how  long  I  can  endure 
this.  It  seems  to  be  my  lot  to  suffer.  I  must  not  be 
ungrateful  for  all  God's  mercies  though,  in  sparing  my 
life. 

Friday,  5th.  No  better.  Wrote  mother,  hope  it  will 
get  through.  Officers  sent  to  Columbia,  S.  C.,  yester- 
day. Find  two  or  three  old  Eclectic  Magazines  to  read, 
Rogers's  Poetical  Works,  and  Caudle  Lectures.  I  never 
knew  what  silly  things  those  were  before. 

Changed  $50  U.  S.  for  $200  C.  S.  currency. 

PRISONERS'  HOSPITAL, 
DANVILLE,  VA.,  August  5,  1864. 

DEAR  MOTHER, — I  will  write  a  few  lines  in  the  hope 
that  they  may  reach  you  at  some  time.  You  know,  of 
course,  that  I  was  taken  prisoner,  that  my  leg  (wooden) 
was  crushed;  the  man  next  me  was  killed  by  the  same 
shell.  I  was  very  much  used  up  and  have  been  very 
weak  from  diarrhoea  since.  I  was  brought  from  the 
prison  to  this  place  night  before  last.  The  other  offi- 
cers were  all  sent  to  Columbia,  S.  C.,  yesterday,  Colonel 


122    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Weld  and  Captain  Amory  included ;  so  I  am  all  alone 
I  shall  be  sent  there  when  I  am  well  enough,  I  suppose. 
I  am  in  a  tent  here,  and  have  plenty  of  fresh  air.  I  hope 
no  blame  is  given  me  for  the  failure  of  Saturday.  I 
certainly  did  all  in  my  power.  I  held  the  pit  with 
hardly  any  force  after  the  rest  of  the  line  had  been  re- 
taken. The  rebel  flag  was  within  six  feet  of  mine,  just 
the  ridge  of  dirt  between,  for  nearly  an  hour.  It  was 
impossible  to  withraw  without  sacrificing  all  the  men,  so 
I  held  on  as  long  as  possible  in  hope  of  reinforcements. 
The  negroes  were  crowded  into  the  same  pit  with  us 
when  they  retreated  in  such  confusion,  and  we  have 
been  treated  worse,  an  account  of  being  taken  with  them. 
I  shall  get  better  here,  I  think.  I  don't  suppose  you 
will  be  able  to  send  me  anything.  Tufts,  the  Massachu- 
setts Agent  in  Washington,  will  know.  Write  me.  Not 
more  than  one  page  is  allowed,  I  believe.  Address 
Prisoner  of  War,  Danville,  Va.  Has  George  got  home 
yet?  And  my  horses?  Take  good  care  of  Ned.  I 
made  arrangements  to  have  him  sent  home  in  case  any- 
thing happened  to  me.  The  Chaplain  and  Dr.  White 
promised  to  see  to  it.  If  you  can  send  me  a  small  box 
with  something  to  eat  and  drink,  some  tea  and  coffee, 
I  should  like  it.  It  might  get  to  me.  Send  it  through 
Tufts,  Massachusetts  Agent  in  Washington.  Send  this 
letter  to  A.  P.  I  shall  not  be  able  to  write  any  more  at 
present.  I  have  Uncle  Edwin's  "  letter  "  with  me,  and 
may  be  able  to  use  it.  Don't  be  worried  about  me,  I 
shall  be  well  soon.  I  shall  get  a  pair  of  crutches  made 
BO  I  can  get  about  soon.  My  half-dollar  pocket-piece 
did  me  good  service  ;  brought  me  eight  dollars  confeder- 
ate money,  with  which  I  bought  a  tooth-hitsh.  Milk 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    123 

two  dollars  qt.,  etc.      My  love  to  all.     Let  them  write 
me  often  ;  some  will  get  through. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

W.  F.  BARTLETT. 
Brigadier-general  U.  8.  A.,  Prisoner  of  War. 

(Envelopes,  $8.  a  package.) 

There  has  been  some  talk  of  exchanging  sick  and 
wounded  prisoners.  I  hope  it  will  be  effected. 

August  6.  Little  better  this  morning;  shall  try  to 
Bend  this  to-day.  "Write  on  one  leaf,  but  send  the  whole 
sheet  and  an  envelope. 

AG.  P.,  —  I  have  the  little  red  velvet  case  with  me 
all  safe.  Don't  be  worried  about  me.  F. 

Saturday,  6th.  Dr.  Hunter  put  certificate  on  my  letter 
to  Secretary  of  War.  Got  dozen  eggs  to-day,  $5.00 ; 
feel  little  better  to-day ;  pain  bowels  still ;  rain  this 
p.  M.  ;  my  tent  all  rags,  open  at  both  ends.  Just  a  week 
since  I  was  taken ;  what  a  week  of  misery. 

Sunday,  7th.  Beautiful  Sabbath  morning,  11  A.  M.  I 
wonder  if  they  are  at  church  now  at  home.  It  must 
have  been  an  anxious  week  for  them,  but  they  don't 
dream  of  what  I  have  been  suffering,  fortunately  for 
them.  Doctor  gives  me  some  new  pills ;  my  liver  is  de- 
ranged. Read  Moore  ;  wish  I  had  my  little  Church  Ser- 
vice here,  I  could  be  reading  the  same  lesson  that  Agnes 
is  this  morning.  Hattie's  birth-day,  I  believe.  I  should 
like  to  be  at  home  to-day.  Began  to  carve  out  a  pipe 
yesterday. 

Monday,  8th.  Letter  to  General  Lee  goes  this  morn- 
tng,  probably.  Another  wretched,  painful,  weary  day. 
Mustard  poultice  on  bowels  this  morn.  Never  passed 


124    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

such  a  horrible  night  as  last ;  awake  all  night,  passing 
blood  freely.  The  doctor  could  n't  know  anything  about 
his  business,  and  does  n't  care.  Keeps  giving  me  pills. 
Bought  pint  of  brandy,  $25;  miserable  stuff.  Apple 
brandy,  tastes  like  burning-fluid. 

Tuesday,  9th.  More  comfortable  night  than  the  one 
before,  less  pain  ;  continue  to  run  off  the  same.  Long, 
long  day ;  three  gentlemen  called  this  p.  M.,  one  left  a 
few  tomatoes.  I  can't  eat  them.  Indeed,  I  don't  eat 
anything.  Another  sleepless,  painful  night  to-night. 
If  I  die  here,  I  hope  my  friends  (written  10th)  will  sift 
the  matter  and  learn  the  truth. 

Wednesday,  10th.  General  Young,  C.  S.  A.,  called  to 
see  me  this  A.  M.,  offered  to  take  letter  to  Ould ;  wrote 
and  sent  down  to  him  this  P.  M.  Hope  he  will  succeed. 
I  get  no  better,  same  pain.  Weaker  every  day.  I  can- 
not last  long  at  this  rate.  If  I  could  only  live  to  get 
in  our  lines  or  to  Baltimore,  I  would  die  contented. 
Mother  would  be  there. 

This  Dr.  Hunter  does  n't  take  the  slightest  interest  in 
my  getting  well,  or  else  his  indifference  is  put  on  to  con- 
ceal his  ignorance. 

DANVILLE,  VA.,  August  10, 1864. 
BRIG.-GEN.  W.  F.  BARTLETT,  U.  S.  A. :  — 

General,  —  I  am  directed  by  General  Young  to  say  to 
you  that  he  will  take  great  pleasure  in  handing  your 
letter  to  Judge  Ould  in  person,  and  that  he  will  use 
every  means  in  his  power  to  procure  you  an  exchange, 
or  parole  of  honor,  immediately.  If  he  should  fail, 
General  Young  will  do  everything  in  his  power  to  alle- 
viate your  pain,  or  to  promote  your  recovery. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    125 

You  will  hear  from  General  Young  as  soon  as  he  has 
Been  Judge  Ould. 

I  am,  General, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
I.  PINCKNEY  THOMAS, 

Lt.  $  A.  D.  C. 

Thursday,  llth.  Doctor  not  come  to-day,  little  loss. 
I  am  little  more  comfortable,  less  discharges ;  very,  very 
weak.  If  I  go  now  I  must  go  on  stretchers.  No  sleep 
after  12. 

Friday,  12th.  No  better,  no  sleep  after  12.  Some 
milk  porridge  this  morning.  My  tongue  is  fearfully 
coated,  brown.  Dr.  Hunter  just  glanced  at  it  and  says, 
"  Oh,  yes,  your  tongue  looks  better."  I  said  I  did  not 
agree  with  him. 

Saturday,  13th.  "Worse  and  weaker  to-day.  No  sur- 
geon, no  medicine,  no  food  suitable.  I  shall  not  write 
much  more  in  this  book.  I  hope  it  will  reach  home. 
Letter  from  Amory  at  Columbia.  Patrick  McHugh, 
Co.  E.,  One-hundredth  Illinois,  has  promised  to  take  it. 
Nothing  from  General  Young. 

The  following  entry  appears  to  belong  to  this 
time.  It  is  pencilled  on  a  fly-leaf  of  his  pocket 
diary,  without  a  date  :  — 

It  is  hard  to  die  here  without  a  single  friend,  not 
even  an  officer  of  our  army,  to  hold  my  hand  and  take 
my  last  words.  I  hardly  dare  trust  to  my  body  or  any- 
thing else  getting  home. 

Sunday,  \±th.  Felt  a  little  better  after  sat  up  this 
4..  M.  ;  have  got  a  prayer-book,  great  comfort  in  it ;  have 


126    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

been  reading  it  all  the  morning.  Seventieth  Psalm, 
fourteenth  day  lesson.  It  is  well  they  do  not  know  how 
miserable  I  am.  Have  been  taking  comfort  from  this 
book  all  day ;  have  been  praying  for  forgiveness  and  help. 
I  feel  a  little  better  to-day.  God  is  very  merciful.  I 
shall  never  forget  this  day.  I  believe  I  shall  be  a  better 
man  if  I  live.  I  wonder  if  Agnes  thought  of  me  as  she 
read  the  service  this  morning.  Better  all  through  the 
day. 

Monday,  15th.  Slept  well  last  night.  Better  this 
morning.  My  bowels  are  more  quiet  and  give  me  less 
pain.  Doctor  got  bottle  "  blueberry  wine  "  yesterday, 
$20.00  ;  poor  stuff,  some  stimulant.  Read  prayer-book 
with  more  interest  than  I  ever  felt  before.  The  change 
was  very  sudden.  Saturday  night  was  the  worst  night 
I  ever  had,  yet  Sunday  morning  I  sat  up  and  seemed  to 
feel  better.  Took  calomel  and  opium  pills  and  white- 
oak-bark  solution.  I  can  hardly  account  for  the  change. 
Mouth  not  so  awfully  dry  as  it  has  been.  God  is  very 
merciful  and  has  heard  my  prayers. 

Tuesday,  1 6th.  Good  night  last.  Feel  better  to-day. 
Believe  I  have  turned  the  corner  and  am  improving  — 
such  a  change  from  my  feelings  Saturday.  I  hope  I 
shall  continue  to  improve.  Nothing  from  General  Young 
yet.  It  is  very  strange.  I  am  not  so  impatient  now 
that  I  am  getting  better.  It  is  not  the  horror  of  living 
but  of  dying  here,  that  troubles  me. 

Wednesday,  17th.  Stronger  still.  Rain  (last  night) 
came  through  the  tent  on  to  my  face  in  torrents.  Sit- 
ting up  all  day,  making  rings,  etc.,  of  peach-stones. 
Such  a  change,  1  can  hardly  realize  it,  nor  be  grateful 
enough. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    127 

Heavy  rain  and  squall  to-night ;  all  wet,  bed  and  bed- 
ding ;  the  tent  is  so  open  that  it  did  not  blow  down. 

Thursday,  18th.  Another  long  day,  merely  weary  wait- 
ing ;  read  a  book  on  birds.  I  am  improving  still,  gain- 
ing strength.  Manage  to  get  milk  and  eggs  and  apples. 
Wrote  Agnes  a  few  lines  on  scrap  of  paper.  Rain  every 
day  now.  Get  no  news  from  outside,  know  nothing  of 
what  is  going  on.  I  wish  our  government  could  see  the 
suffering  that  their  delay  and  quibbling  about  exchange 
is  causing.  Men  dying  every  hour,  reproving  their  gov- 
ernment for  forgetting  them  and  letting  them  lie  here. 
In  Georgia  it  is  worse. 

Friday,  19^.  Another  day  gone.  I  am  still  improv- 
ing. Walk  out  on  crutches  a  few  steps.  Am  very, 
very  weak.  Rainy  still.  Major  Morfit,  commanding 
prison,  must  have  noticed  the  scrap  of  paper  on  which  I 
wrote  Agnes,  for  to-day  he  sent  me  up  several  sheets  of 
note-paper  with  his  compliments.  Reading  all  day, 
"Artist's  Bride,"  Emerson  Bennett.  Poor  trash.  I 
long  to  hear  from  home.  I  have  an  egg  for  break- 
fast now,  with  some  toast,  and  clover  or  hay  tea ;  for 
dinner,  boiled  rice  which  has  to  be  examined;  for  sup- 
per, baked  apple  and  tea. 

Saturday,  20th.  Another  day  and  week  gone.  Three 
weeks  to-night  since  my  capture.  It  seems  like  three 
months  at  least.  What  a  difference  though  between  my 
condition  now  and  one  week  ago  !  I  did  not  then  ex- 
pect to  be  alive  now.  My  only  hope  was  that  my  body 
should  get  sent  home.  To-night  I  am  well,  getting 
stronger  every  day.  Walked  out  on  crutches  a  little  ; 
very  weak  still.  But  how  much  I  have  to  be  grateful 
for !  I  hope  I  may  never  forget  it.  I  wish  I  could  re- 


128    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

lieve  their  anxiety  at  home.  And  Agnes,  I  fear  she 
worries.  I  am  glad  they  have  not  known  the  worst. 
They  think  I  am  safe  and  comfortably  off,  I  expect. 

PRISONERS'  HOSPITAL, 
DANVILLE,  VA.,  August  20,  1864. 

MY  DEAR  MOTHER, — I  have  been  very  ill  with  dys- 
entery, consequent  on  the  exposure  after  the  over-exer- 
tion and  exhaustion  on  the  30th  of  July.  I  am  still  very 
weak,  but  have  turned  the  corner  and  am  out  of  danger. 
General  Young,  C.  S.  A.,  came  to  see  me  while  I  was 
sick,  and  told  me  he  would  see  Commissioner  Ould  when 
he  went  to  Richmond,  and  do  all  that  he  could  to  get 
me  sent  to  our  lines  (either  exchanged  or  paroled), 
where  I  could  soon  get  well,  or  at  least  die  among 
friends.  I  have  not  heard  from  him  yet.  It  is  more 
than  a  week,  and  as  he  promised  to  write  as  soon  as  he 
saw  Ould,  I  fear  his  letter  must  have  miscarried.  I  am 
not  so  anxious,  now  that  I  am  getting  better.  Still  I 
hope  we  shall  be  exchanged  before  long.  All  the  other 
generals  have  been  exchanged  down  at  Charleston,  S.  C. 
I  shall  probably  go  to  Columbia,  S.  C.,  as  soon  as  I  get 
well  enough.  I  had  a  letter  from  Captain  Amory  from 
there  a  few  days  ago.  They  are  much  more  comfortable 
there,  and  want  me  to  come.  I  shall  be  glad  to  get  any- 
where, where  I  can  have  company.  I  walked  out  a  few 
steps  on  crutches  to-day  for  the  first  time.  I  am  still 
very  weak.  I  have  heard  nothing  from  our  lines  since 
our  capture.  See  Richmond  paper  occasionally.  Give 
my  love  to  all  at  home,  and  to  Aunt  Carry  and  Uncle 
Edwin.  Send  them  a  copy  of  this  letter  if  it  reaches 
you.  Much  love,  W.  F.  B. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.  129 

I  hope  my  horses  and  all  my  things  got  home  safely. 
Dr.  White  promised  to  see  to  it. 

August  23.     Still  improving  and  gaining  strength. 

W. 

Sunday,  2lst.  This  has  been  rather  a  pleasant  Sab- 
bath day.  I  have  so  much  to  be  grateful  for.  I  had  a 
very  good  dinner.  My  appetite  has  returned.  Have  been 
reading  Prayer-book  and  Rogers's  "Italy."  To-night 
smoked  my  first  and  only  cigar,  one  that  has  been  in  my 
coat-pocket  all  the  time.  Just  six  weeks  ago  to-night, 
at  this  very  time,  I  went  to  see  Agnes  at  the  homestead. 
Where  shall  I  be  six  weeks  hence  ?  In  our  lines  ?  I 
fear  the  hope  is  vain.  I  wonder  if  they  have  been  think- 
ing of  me  at  home  to-day  as  much  as  I  have  of  them. 
I  expect  they  have  not  as  much  spare  time.  Perhaps 
they  think  that  now  I  am  out  of  danger,  and  on  the 
whole  it 's  rather  a  good  thing ! ! 

Monday,  22d.  Evening.  Mark  off  another  day  ;  one 
day  nearer  home  and  liberty.  Read  "  Villette ; "  don't  like 
it  much.  My  friend  Jones  brought  me  some  nice  beans 
for  dinner  from  the  garden.  I  gave  him  some  sugar  in 
return.  To-night  he  brought  me  some  peaches.  Ru- 
mors of  fighting  going  on.  Oh,  what  would  n't  I  give 
for  a  New  York  or  Boston  paper  to-night,  or  a  letter. 
If  I  had  two  legs,  I  would  not  stay  here  long.  Played 
chess  to-day  with  Pat.  He  beats  me.  I  cannot  get 
interested  in  it.  He  beats  me  at  checkers  too.  I  be- 
lieve I  am  getting  stupid.  I  must  get  where  I  can  have 
somebody  congenial  to  talk  with.  I  dread  the  journey 
to  Columbia,  two  days.  What  are  they  doing  at  home 
to-night  ?  I  wish  I  could  look  in,  invisible. 
9 


130    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Tuesday,  23d.  Another  day  gone  without  incident. 
Holden,  who  has  been  in  charge  of  the  hospital  here,  a 
private  in  Twenty-third  Va.,  has  gone  home  on  a  fur- 
lough. I  must  remember  him,  he  has  been  very  friendly. 
Waters  is  now  in  charge.  Beat  Pat  two  games  chess 
to-day.  I  am  out  of  reading.  Have  taken  the  Bible.  I 
find  it  interesting,  "  Joshua."  Herman  Viertel,  my 
Dutchman,  washed  my  pants  and  handkerchiefs  to-day. 
I  have  sat  in  deshabille  meantime.  Kanna,  a  man  of 
West  Virginia,  a  prisoner,  has  been  entertaining  me 
with  some  accounts  of  his  adventuring.  If  I  had  paper 
I  would  write  down  things  that  I  hear  and  see  from  day 
to  day.  It  would  make  a  very  interesting  book.  I 
must  try  to  remember  them  all.  I  fear  I  shan't  do  jus- 
tice to  some  of  them. 

Wednesday,  24th.  Good-by  one  more  day.  Major 
Morfit  up  here  this  eve ;  looked  in  to  see  me  ;  thinks  my 
chance  for  exchange  just  as  good  here  as  at  Columbia. 
I  don't  know  how  much  he  knows  about  it,  but  I  think 
very  little.  Apropos,  an  epigram  occurs. 

Our  jailer  bears  the  name  of  Morfit 
A  name  on  which  if  any  saw  fit 
By  making  rhymes  his  life  to  forfeit 
He  'd  swear  By  Allah  and  the  Prophet 
For  nothing  was  this  Major  more  fit. 

Thursday,  25th.  Very  warm  to-night.  We  have  had 
some  success  on  the  Weldon  Railroad.  They  have 
stopped  our  wheat  bread ;  nothing  but  this  coarse  corn 
bread  for  these  sick  men.  It  will  kill  them  at  a  fearful 
rate  ;  indeed,  it  is  beginning  to  appear  in  the  number  of 
corpses  that  are  carried  by  my  tent  to-day.  Many  will 
die  to-night,  the  ward-master  tells  me.  God  have  mercy 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.     131 

on  their  souls,  and  console  and  sustain  and  protect  theirs 
at  home !  I  had  a  good  dinner  to-day,  chicken  broth- 
Madigan,  whom  I  have  won  with  the  filthy  lucre,  se- 
cured it  for  me.  He  is  one  of  the  cooks  here.  My 
friend  Jones  of  the  garden  brought  his  flour  biscuits  to- 
night. He 's  a  trump. 

Friday ',  26th.  This  morning  after  breakfast,  Waters 
came  to  my  tent  and  told  me  he  had  an  order  from  Ma- 
jor Morfit,  to  send  me  to  his  office  to  go  to  Richmond  ! 
Can  it  be  exchange  ?  If  so,  God  has  quickly  heard  and 
answered  my  prayers.  I  got  my  baggage  together,  a 
cotton  havei'sack,  my  cane,  and  wooden  foot.  In  the 
first  I  have  some  tea  and  hard  bread,  in  the  latter  noth- 
ing !  I  was  carted  to  Major  Morfit  in  the  same  old  wagon, 
without  springs,  waited  at  his  office  till  seven,  when  went 
to  the  train,  waited  on  the  platform  till  nine.  Then  the 
train  came  jammed  full,  no  lights,  no  seats,  one  man 
with  me  as  guard.  I  must  leave  a  description  of  this 
night  for  some  other  place. 

Saturday,  27th.  Of  course  awake  at  daylight.  Reached 
Burkesville  Junction  shortly  after,  where  we  lay  in  the 
sun  all  one  day,  en  route  to  Danville.  Reach  Richmond 
at  nine.  In  Richmond  at  last.  Saw  Ould.  To  go 
North  by  first  flag  truce  boatff  I  wish  they  knew  it  at 
home  this  night.  Meantime  I  go  to  "  Libby,"  and  here 
I  am  in  Libby  Prison  Hospital,  rather  comfortably  off. 
Sedgwick,  Twentieth,  here.  I  shall  sleep  to-night  after 
last  night's  experience.  How  can  I  be  grateful  enough 
to  God  for  his  great  mercy. 

Sunday,  28th.  Quiet,  pleasant  day.  I  live  compara- 
tively well  here,  and  am  quite  comfortable.  More  pris- 
oners come  in  to-day.  Lieutenant-colonel  Walker,  Han- 


132    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

rock's  Assistant  Adjutant-general,  brought  in  recaptured, 
taken  first  at  Reams  Station ;  got  within  thirty  yards 
of  our  pickets  on  James,  which  he  swam.  Tells  me 
Macy  is  badly  hurt.  I  dreamt  it  a  week  ago.  Patten 
lost  a  leg.  Walker  was  dressed  in  rags  and  filth,  but 
how  undisguisable  the  gentleman  is.  I  was  very  much 
taken  with  him.  He  knew  me,  but  I  had  never  seen 
him.  Roast  mutton  for  dinner.  I  am  treated  with 
marked  consideration  just  now  for  some  reason  or  other. 
The  surgeon  marked  for  me  good  diet. 

LIBBT  PRISON  (HOSPITAL), 

RICHMOND,  August  28,  1864. 

DEAR  MOTHER,  —  I  was  sent  here  from  Danville  on 
Friday  night.  Traveled  all  night.  I  arrived  here  yes- 
terday morning ;  went  to  see  Colonel  Ould.  I  am  "  to 
be  sent  North  by  first  flag  of  truce  boat,"  so  I  hope  I 
may  reach  home  before  this  letter  does.  I  am  still  very 
feeble  and  shall  not  be  fit  for  duty  for  several  months. 
Nor  then  for  active  field  duty.  I  am  very  well  treated 
here ; l  as  Colonel  Ould  said  to  me,  "  Libby  is  not  half 
so  bad  as  it  has  been  represented." 

Hoping  to  see  you  soon,  I  am  ever  your  affectionate 
BOD,  W.  F.  BARTLETT, 

Brigadier  General  U.  S.  A. 

Monday,  29<A.  Pleasant,  comfortable  day.  Nothing 
new.  Read  "  Heart  of  Mid-Lothian."  Played  chess, 
Captain  Adams,  Fifty-sixth.  Sedgwick,  Twentieth,  is 
here  ;  not  well,  looks  badly.  Very  homesick  I  expect. 

1  He  told  his  mother  afterwards  that  the  statement  as  to  good 
treatment  was  inserted  to  meet  the  contingency  of  the  opening  of 
his  letter. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    133 

I  hope  the  flag  of  truce  boat  will  be  here  by  Wednesday. 
Still  improving  in  health.  I  shall  be  quite  well  by  the 
time  I  get  home  if  I  keep  on,  and  the  boat  does  n't  come 
for  a  month  or  two  ! 

Tuesday,  30th.  This  morning  a  letter  was  put  in  my 
hands,  directed  in  father's  well-known  hand,  from  mother, 
dated  August  3d.  It  was  a  comfort  to  get  it,  although 
of  so  old  a  date.  She  says  F.  W.  P.  had  written  ;  that 
I  have  not  received.  My  horses  I  trust  are  sent  home 
ere  this.  Dr.  White  promised  to  send  them.  George 
should  have  known  enough  to  have  started  for  home 
with  all  my  other  things. 

Wednesday,  31st.  The  boat  is  here.  We  shall  go  to- 
morrow I  expect.  To-day  the  steward  brought  me  a 
note  from  Arthur,  who  is  up  stairs.  I  sent  to  Major 
Turner,  asking  to  let  him  come  down.  I  had  no  idea 
he  was  here.  Everybody  is  anxious  to-night,  hoping  it 
may  be  his  turn  to-morrow.  I  shall  leave  Arthur  every- 
thing that  I  can.  I  trust  this  is  my  last  night  in  this 
horrible  place.  I  want  to  be  in  Baltimore  by  Sunday. 
Home  and  Saratoga  by  week  after.  A  week  at  Sara- 
toga would  do  me  more  good  than  all  the  medicine  in 
the  world. 

Thursday,  September  1.  Off  at  last.  I  gave  Arthur 
all  that  I  had,  money,  etc.,  gave  him  a  good  breakfast 
with  me,  took  note  for  J.  D.,  borrowed  $20  of  Captain 
Fox,  Thirty-fourth  Massachusetts,  gave  Arthur  $10, 
Sedgwick  $10,  Arthur  my  watch-chain.  He  is  very 
well.  Twenty  other  officers  go.  Go  down  to  boat  in 
Ambulances  of  boards.  An  order  comes  from  Colonel 
Ould.  /  cannot  go.  It  is  a  bitter,  bitter  blow  after  get- 
ring  so  far.  I  must  go  back  to  prison.  Ould  says  Gea- 


134    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

eral  Walker  was  not  sent  up.  There  is  some  other 
reason,  I  think.  This  is  a  sad  disappointment.  My  heart 
sinks  at  coming  back  here.  I  must  wait  patiently  and 
believe  He  doeth  all  things  for  the  best.  Poor  mother, 
if  she  only  knew  ! 

Friday,  2d.  I  have  learned  to  play  cribbage,  it  helps 
to  pass  the  time.  I  was  not  allowed  even  to  send  mes- 
sages by  those  other  officers  who  went  yesterday.  If  I 
do  not  go  by  the  next  boat  I  shall  give  up. 

Try  to  communicate  with  Arthur ;  failed.  He  will  feel 
awfully  about  it.  He  was  so  glad  to  think  I  was  going 
home. 

Saturday,  3d.  I  am  getting  very  well,  my  face  is  not 
so  thin  as  when  I  came  here.  I  am  stronger  much.  I 
am  reading  "  Harry  Lorrequer,"  etc.  I  wonder  where 
everybody  is  of  those  I  love.  Agnes  is  at  home.  The 
rest  of  the  family  must  have  returned  from  Swampscotu 
We  are  all  at  home.  Sallie  is  in  Baltimore,  etc.  I  think 
Miss  Wyeth  has  hardly  ventured  to  leave  129  this  sum- 
mer. Got  word  to  Arthur  to-day. 

Sunday,  4th.  Cloudy,  dull  day.  Morning,  read  the 
service  from  eleven  to  twelve.  I  wish  I  could  look  in 
on  them  at  home  to-day.  I  hope  they  have  got  some  of 
my  letters,  and  have  got  the  horses  home.  To-day  I  was 
to  have  been  in  Baltimore  and  comfort  and  freedom,  but 
here  I  am  still  in  misery,  a  prisoner.  I  have  so  much 
to  be  grateful  for,  it  would  be  base  to  murmur  at  my 
lot  How  much  worse  it  might  have  been!  Not  so 
well  to-day.  No  exercise,  no  out  of  doors,  is  beginning 
to  tell. 

Monday,  5th.  One  day  is  like  another.  I  play  crib- 
page  with  Sedgwick,  or  chess  occasionally.  The  papers 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    135 

say  a  boat  is  expected  to-morrow.  I  don't  look  for  it 
till  Sunday  or  Monday. 

Tuesday,  Qth.  McClellan  is  nominated  by  the  Chicago 
convention  for  president.  I  fear  there  is  not  much 
chance  of  his  being  elected.  I  don't  like  the  names  that 
he  is  associated  with. 

Wednesday,  1th.  Atlanta  is  ours.  The  rebel  papers 
think  it  is  n't  a  place  of  any  importance  after  all.  The 
boat  is  expected  daily.  I  am  patient  until  Monday,  12th. 

Thursday,  8th.  My  chance  of  going  depends  on  Gen- 
eral Walker's  coming,  I  suppose.  I  shall  be  able  to  send 
some  message  this  time,  at  least.  Some  officers  will  go. 
Rainy,  cold. 

Friday,  $th.  Have  been  a  little  feverish  (typhoid)  for 
a  day  or  two ;  took  dose  of  quinine  last  night.  Arthur 
came  down  to-day.  He  is  pretty  well. 

Saturday,  IQth.  (August  23.  What  wouldn't  I  give 
for  the  promise  that  I  should  be  at  Saratoga  with  uncle 
and  aunt  by  this  date !  Nous  verrons.  I  shall  probably 
be  in  Columbia,  S.  C.)  If  I  had  only  got  away  when  I 
started,  the  above  wish  might  have  been  fulfilled !  It 
is  too  late,  even  if  I  go  Monday.  The  boat  is  up ;  no 
particulars.  I  hope  I  may  get  off,  but  hardly  expect  it. 
Arthur  is  coming  down  from  up  stairs  to-day. 

Sunday,  llth.  The  boat  goes  to-morrow.  Officers 
permanently  disabled  are  to  be  sent.  My  rank  will 
prevent  my  going  under  that  head.  I  must  expect  to 
be  disappointed  again.  General  Walker  has  not  been 
sent  up.  Again  my  hopes  and  plans  go  overboard. 
Wrote  few  lines  to  mother  and  Agnes ;  sent  by  Getting. 
Sedgwick  goes,  promised  to  call  see  father.  I  have 
made  up  my  mind  to  wait. 


136     MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

LIBBY  PBISON  HOSPITAL,  September  11,  1864. 

DEAR  MOTHER, — I  write  this  to  send  by  some  of- 
ficer who  goes  by  this  flag  of  truce  boat.  I  don't  know 
whether  any  of  my  letters  have  reached  you  or  not.  I 
have  sent  three  or  four.  I  was  sent  to  Richmond  from 
Danville,  August  26,  to  be  exchanged,  and  was  to  have 
been  sent  north  by  first  boat.  The  boat  came  Sep- 
tember 1.  I  was  carried  down  with  the  other  officers  in 
the  ambulance,  got  on  board  the  boat,  and  then  an  order 
came  for  me  to  go  ashore  again  and  back  to  prison. 
Commissioner  Ould  said  I  could  not  go  because  the 
(rebel)  General  Walker,  for  whom  I  was  to  be  ex- 
changed, had  not  been  sent  up.  So  back  to  prison  I 
came.  It  was  a  bitter  disappointment,  as  you  can  im- 
agine. I  could  not  even  send  you  messages  by  the  offi- 
cers who  went,  or  to  Major  Mulford,  our  Agent  of  Ex- 
change, to  send  General  Walker  by  the  next  boat.  I 
hardly  dare  hope  I  shall  get  off  on  this  boat.  I  suppose 
it  will  depend  on  Walker's  being  sent  up.  I  got  your 
letter  of  August  3  on  the  30th,  the  only  letter  I  have 
had.  I  have  been  very  sick,  but  am  better.  Arthur  is 
up  stairs ;  he  is  very  well  indeed.  I  was  surprised  to 
find  him  here.  I  hope  my  horses  and  all  my  things  are 
safely  at  home  long  before  this.  They  should  have  been 
sent  at  once.  Dr.  White  promised  to  attend  to  it. 

I  am  comparatively  comfortable  in  this  hospital.  The 
suffering  among  the  prisoners  here  and  farther  south  is 
too  horrible  to  speak  of.  It  is  a  disgrace  to  our  govern- 
ment that  they  do  not  make  a  general  exchange.  The 
rebel  government  is  ready  and  willing  to  do  it,  on  almost 
any  terms.  I  hope  I  shall  get  away  before  long.  I  am 
improving  in  health,  and  so  am  not  so  anxious  as  I  was 


MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    137 

when  so  low  with  dysentery.  Give  my  love  to  all.  It 
is  useless  for  me  to  write,  except  by  some  officer  going 
North,  or  else  I  should  often  (if  I  could  get  the  paper). 
Hoping  you  are  all  well,  I  remain  ever, 

Your  affectionate  son,  "W.  F.  B. 

Let  Uncle  Edwin  and  A.  P.  know  that  you  have 
heard  from  me,  if  you  get  this.  Let  Arthur's  father  and 
mother  know  that  he  is  in  splendid  health  and  spirits. 
I  got  permission  for  him  to  come  down  and  see  me  the 
other  day,  when  I  expected  to  go  away.  Gave  him  a 
good  breakfast,  and  all  the  money,  etc.,  that  I  had  left. 
I  am  going  to  have  him  come  down  again  to-day. 

Much  love  to  all,  W. 

I  wish  you  would  give  Mr.  Cotting  twenty  dollars,  as 
a  present,  for  me.  He  has  been  very  kind  to  me  while 
I  have  been  here.  W.  F.  B. 

Monday,  12lh.  The  boat  goes  this  morning.  Thirty 
officers  went.  It  was  hard  to  see  them  go  and  think 
that  in  twelve  hours  they  would  be  under  the  old  flag. 
I  hope  I  shall  not  see  another  load  go  away  without  me. 
I  am  more  contented  than  I  was  the  last  time.  Arthur 
being  here  makes  it  very  pleasant.  We  play  cribbage, 
talk,  smoke,  and  study  Spanish  together ;  the  time  passes 
very  quickly.  I  shall  try  and  keep  him  down  here  as 
long  as  I  can. 

Tuesday,  13th.  I  have  moved  out  into  a  quiet  corner 
of  the  ward;  his  bed  is  next  mine.  Fisher  and  Bra^y 
next.  A  select  party.  It  is  a  different  thing  altogether 
having  Arthur  here.  I  don't  feel  badly  about  not  going 


138     MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

now.  I  try  not  to  think  of  it.  Play  poker  this  evening 
until  twelve,  first  night  I  have  been  up  so  late  for  a  long 
time.  Twenty  to  Brady.  Cold  night  —  sleep  well.  I 
am  very  grateful  to  God  for  all  his  goodness.  I  am 
well,  comfortable,  and  in  good  spirits.  How  much  worse 
off  I  might  be. 

Wednesday,  14th.  A  letter  from  F.  W.  P.  at  dinner, 
September  2.  Says  father  told  him  I  had  been  ex- 
changed as  it  was  arranged.  Tells  me  of  Arthur's  cap- 
ture. Arthur  and  I  were  eating  a  good  dinner  together 
when  it  was  received.  The  time  passes  much  more 
quickly  than  it  did.  Beautiful  moonlight  nights  now, 
too  bad  to  be  shut  up  within  prison  bars.  I  hope  the 
next  moon  I  shall  see  on  salt  wafer.  I  am  tired  of  see- 
ing it  reflected  on  this  river  and  canal.  My  leg  pains 
me  a  great  deal  to-day  and  to-night.  We  play  poker  — 
six.  • 

Thursday,  15th.  It  was  just  a  month  ago  yesterday 
that  I  began  to  mend  and  get  well.  Oh,  how  grateful 
I  am  for  the  mercies  of  this  past  month !  I  have  suffered 
two  awful  disappointments,  but  when  I  think  how  much 
worse  it  might  have  been,  I  can  only  be  thankful  and 
patient.  A  year  ago  I  was  at  Pittsfield,  just  going  to 
Saratoga.  What  a  pleasant  time  I  had.  That  is  past 
for  this  year.  I  am  still  very  anxious  about  my  horses 
—  wish  I  knew  they  were  safe  at  home.  They  are 
safe  anywhere  so  long  as  Tieman  is  with  them.  At  the 
Learneds'  one  year  ago. 

Friday,  16th.  I  wish  I  could  get  home  this  month  on 
many  accounts.  The  next  boat  is  due  a  week  from  to- 
day. Make  a  little  charm  of  peach-stone.  Play  poker 
in  evening  till  ten.  Fisher  keeps  us  splitting  with 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.  139 

laughter  all  the  time.  Not  very  well  to-day.  Beautiful 
night,  full  moon,  too  pleasant  to  be  in  this  place.  I 
cannot  get  my  bowels  regular.  It  is  now  nearly  two 
months  since  they  have  been  so. 

Saturday,  17th.  Beautiful  day.  Oh,  it  is  too  bad  to 
lose  all  this  lovely  weather.  This  week  has  passed  very 
quickly.  Arthur's  being  here  accounts  for  it.  We  play 
poker  every  evening.  Another  hitch  in  the  exchange 
question  between  Hood  and  Sherman.  It  is  very  dis- 
heartening for  the  poor  men. 

Sunday,  18th.  Chilly  day.  Read  service  all  the  morn- 
ing. Had  no  book  to  read.  Quite  unwell  to-day,  very 
weak. 

Monday,  Wth.  Pleasant  day.  Just  two  months  since 
I  left  "Washington.  It  seems  like  two  years.  I  hope 
the  end  of  this  month  will  find  me  at  home,  or  at  least, 
at  liberty.  Colonel  Hooper  came  down  to  see  me  last 
week.  He  is  very  well.  I  am  to  go  and  see  his  mother 
when  I  get  home.  One  year  ago  I  was  at  Albany,  on 
my  way  to  Saratoga  with  Mr.  Learned. 

Tuesday,  20th.  Beautiful  day.  The  Sergeant  in  one 
of  his  whims  has  not  been  out  to  buy  anything  for  us 
for  several  days,  so  that  we  have  been  short.  We  are 
dependent  entirely  on  the  whim  of  this  low,  ugly-dispo- 
sitioned  brute.  This  steward  can't  manage  him  as  well 
as  Getting  used  to.  Wrote  F.  W.  P.  to  send  by  boat. 

LIBBT  PRISON  HOSPITAL, 
RICHMOND,  September  20,  1864. 

It  was  a  happy  surprise  to  me  to  get  your  letter  of 
the  2d,  a  day  or  two  since.  It  came  through  by  the  last 
ioat.  It  is  the  only  letter  I  have  had,  excepting  one 


140    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

from  home  (August  3d),  since  I  was  captured.  You 
did  n't  think  when  you  wrote,  telling  me  of  Arthur's  cap- 
ture, that  we  should  be  sitting  vis-a-vis  partaking  the 
frugal  meal  together,  when  it  reached  me.  Such  was 
the  case.  After  I  had  been  here  in  hospital  five  or  six 
days,  I  received  a  scrap  of  paper  on  which  was  written  a 
hasty  salutation  from  Arthur.  Imagine  my  surprise, 
not  having  heard  of  his  misfortune.  As  I  was  expect- 
ing to  go  by  the  boat  which  went  the  next  day,  I  asked 
to  have  him  allowed  to  come  down  and  see  me.  He 
came  the  next  morning,  just  as  I  was  going.  I  left  with 
him  all  the  money,  etc.,  that  I  had,  and  bade  him  good-by. 
After  going  to  the  boat  in  ambulance,  and  getting  nicely 
on  board,  an  order  came  from  Colonel  Ould  that  I  must 
go  back  to  prison.  I  could  not  go  until  General  Walker 
was  sent  up,  etc.  There  was  nothing  to  be  said.  I 
could  not  help  thinking  that  it  would  at  least  have  been 
considerate  in  Ould  to  have  spared  me  the  disappoint- 
ment of  going  down  on  board  the  boat,  to  return  again 
to  prison,  when  he  had  no  intention  of  letting  me  go. 
When  I  came  to  Richmond  from  Danville  and  reported 
to  him,  he  said  I  was  "  to  be  sent  North  by  first  flag 
of  truce  boat,"  and  so  endorsed  the  order  sending 
me  here.  Nothing  was  said  about  its  depending  upon 
Walker's  coming  up,  and  I  believe  that  was  an  after- 
thought. It  was  a  sad  disappointment  to  come  back 
within  these  prison  walls  and  bars  after  getting  so  far 
on  my  road  to  liberty.  I  looked  forward  then  to  the 
next  boat,  but  was  doomed  to  disappointment  again. 

I  hope  the  next  one,  which  will  be  here  the  last  of 
this  week,  will  bring  Walker  and  take  me  away.  In- 
deed I  hope  more  than  I  expect.  If  I  was  well,  I  should 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    141 

not  be  so  impatient,  and  am  not  so  anxious  now  as  when 
I  was  so  very  ill.  The  Surgeon  at  Danville  recom- 
mended that  I  be  exchanged,  as  I  was  in  a  criti- 
cal condition,  and  "  if  I  recovered  would  not  be  fit  for 
duty  for  many  months."  I  am  safely  through,  though, 
thank  God.  The  thought  of  dying  there  in  that  hos- 
pital, with  no  one  to  speak  to,  not  a  single  officer  of  our 
army  in  the  place,  no  one  to  whom  I  could  trust  either 
effects  or  messages,  was  pretty  hard  to  bear.  I  shall 
have  much  to  tell  you  when  we  meet,  which  time,  I 
pray,  is  not  far  distant  It  is  a  great  comfort  to  me, 
having  Arthur  here.  He  is  shamming  sick  in  order  to 
stay  here  in  hospital,  where  he  is  of  course  much  more 
comfortable  than  "in  quarters."  He  is  very  well  in- 
deed, and  in  excellent  spirits.  I  am  very  anxious  to 
hear  from  home  of  many  persons,  especially  Macy.  I 
heard  that  he  was  seriously  injured  internally  by  his 
horse  falling  on  him,  and  Patten  has  lost  a  leg !  I  am 
very  sorry  for  him  ;  hope  it  is  not  above  the  knee.  Poor 
Charlie  Peirson,  his  death  was  very  sad.  I  fear  there 
must  be  others  that  I  have  not  heard  of  yet. 

I  write  this  to  send  by  some  officer  who  goes  by  the 
next  boat.  I  don't  know  whether  letters  sent  through 
the  regular  channels  reach  you.  They  certainly  do  not 
reach  us.  This  is  contraband,  but  can  easily  be  smug- 
gled inside  a  man's  coat-lining.  I  fear  you  will  have 
trouble  in  deciphering  it.  I  shall  write  mother  by  this 
boat,  but  you  might  let  them  know  that  you  hear  from 
me  in  case  theirs  should  miscarry.  I  am  doing  com- 
paratively well,  remember,  and  am  ready  to  endure  it 
*s  long  as  may  be  necessary.  My  experience,  I  suppose, 


142    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

wouldn't  have  been  considered  complete  without  this 
phase. 

Remember  me  to  any  who  have  not  forgotten  me. 

Ever  yours, 

FRANK  B. 

September  20th.  The  papers  say  that  the  boat  is  up 
and  General  Walker  on  board,  so  I  may  get  off  this 
time.  If  not,  I  shall  give  up. 

Wednesday,  2lst.  The  first  thing  I  heard  this  morning 
was,  "  We  shall  lose  the  General."  I  opened  my  eyes 
and  Arthur  said,  "  Have  you  got  your  valise  packed  ? 
The  papers  say  that  the  boat  is  up  and  General  Walker 
on  board."  So  I  hope  to  go  by  this  boat.  This  may  "  go 
back  "  on  me  again,  but  it  would  be  very  mean.  I  shall 
hope  to  go.  The  boat  goes  Friday.  Played  poker, 
evening.  I  am  about  $40  ahead ;  shall  leave  it  with 
Arthur  and  Brady. 

Thursday,  22d.  Nothing  about  the  boat  to-day.  I 
shall  get  letter  ready  to  send  in  case  I  do  not  go.  After- 
noon, told  that  the  boat  would  go  to-morrow.  Ross  told 
me  I  was  going ;  shall  not  feel  certain  till  I  am  under 
the  flag.  Play  poker  and  settle  accounts ;  I  am  about 
$40  ahead  ;  give  it  to  Brady,  who  was  behind. 

Friday,  23d.  The  boat  does  not  go  this  morning,  some 
delay,  to-morrow  now.  To-night  the  roll  is  brought  in 
for  us  to  sign.  My  name  leads  it  again.  Fisher  the 
flanker  is  down  to  go.  Brady  goes  too.  Arthur  alone 
of  the  quartette  is  left.  The  last  night  in  Libby  !  I 
was  taken  with  a  bad  diarrhoea,  up  all  night,  very  weak. 

Saturday,  24th.  Off  again.  I  am  so  ill  I  can  hardly 
stand.  Bade  Arthur  good-by  —  left  him  my  chain, 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    143 

etc.,  again.  On  the  Allison.  I  expected  every  moment 
a  summons  to  go  on  shore  again.  Off  at  last,  twenty 
minutes  before  10  A.  we.,  down  the  James.  Ashore  at 
Varina.  A  grasp  of  a  friendly  hand,  Major  Mulford. 
A  short  ride,  and  there  floats  the  old  flag.  May  I  never 
lose  sight  of  it  again.  I  am  too  ill  to  eat.  Comfort- 
able bed  and  state  room  —  lie  at  landing  all  night. 

WINCHESTER,  September  24,  1864. 

MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  It  is  with  the  greatest  relief  and 
pleasure  that  I  think  how  soon  you  are  likely  to  have 
your  son,  the  General,  with  you  again,  bringing  home 
fresh  laurels,  with  which  he  might  well  be  content,  if  it 
were  for  ambitious  ends  that  he  entered  the  service  of 
the  country.  But  we  know  that  he  will  be  satisfied  with 
nothing  short  of  doing  his  utmost  for  the  nation  ;  and 
that  he  has  surely  done ;  at  least,  I  cannot  conceive  that 
he  should  be  fit  for  service  for  many  months  to  come. 

Few  outside  of  his  immediate  family  can  rejoice  more 
at  his  safe  return  than  I  do,  little  as  I  can  hope  to  see 
of  him.  I  feel  that  this  is  a  better  world  while  my 
former  colonel  is  in  it. 

I  beg  that  you  will  express  to  Mrs.  Bartlett  the  sym- 
pathy which  Mrs.  Winsor  and  I  feel  for  you  in  your 
great  happiness ;  though  its  expression  is  somewhat 
tardy,  its  existence  is  real. 

Very  truly  and  respectfully  yours, 

FREDERICK  WINSOR. 

Sunday,  25tk.  Major  Mulford  tells  me  mother  is  at 
Baltimore.  Father  has  been  down  to  Fortress  Monroe. 
I  was  exchanged  early  in  August,  and  to  think  how  near 
I  came  to  never  being  exchanged  !  Arrive  at  Fortress 


144    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Monroe  half  past  five ;  tug  comes  out.  Is  General  Bart- 
lett  on  board  ?  Yes,  from  fifty  voices,  and  I  am  carried 
over  the  side  and  meet  Charles  Manning1  on  board 
Adelaide;  hear  all  the  news  from  Charlie.  Good  bed, 
etc. ;  talk  late. 

Monday,  26th.  Eeach  Baltimore  early,  drive  to  129. 

Mother  there Better  this  morning,  ate  good 

breakfast,  can't  stand  it.  Dr.  Baxley  comes.  Must  go 
on  very  low  diet.  "  With  care  can  get  well  in  six 
months!  "  Pleasant  prospect,  still  I  am  in  God's  coun- 
try once  more,  and  that  is  everything.  Mother  tells  me 
all  about  Agnes  ;  three  letters  from  her,  one  from  Win- 
throp.  Dear  Agnes. 

Tuesday,  27th.  Do  not  go  down  stairs.  I  am  weaker 
than  I  supposed.  Dr.  B.  is  very  serious.  I  hope  to  dis- 
appoint him  and  be  well  in  half  the  time  that  he  says. 
We  leave  for  New  York  to-morrow.  Agnes  is  there. 
I  had  hoped  to  be  well  enough  to  go  about  there,  but 
must  now  keep  the  house. 

Wednesday,  28th.  Long,  weary,  trying  ride  to  New 
York.  I  thought  I  should  have  to  give  it  up  at  Phil- 
adelphia, but  we  are  well  through.  Uncle  Ed.  and  Aunt 
Carry  here.  Agnes  came  in  the  evening.  I  saw  her  in 
the  little  dining-room.  It  almost  repays  one  for  the 
misery  and  pain,  this  meeting.  Can  it  be  possible  that 
I  am  here  again,  ....  It  is  too  good  to  be  true. 
Never  let  me  forget  God's  mercy  to  me  undeserving. 

Thursday,  29th.     Agnes  came  again  this  morning.     I 

have  to  keep  my  bed,  very  weak.    Dr.  Van  Buren  alters 

my  diet  and  medicine.     Agnes  sat  by  my  bedside.     Too 

much  to  think  of  to  talk  much.    Many  callers  and  cards. 

1  His  brother-in-law. 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    145 

I  see  no  one  but  the  family.  Agnes  here  in  the  evening, 
short  time. 

Friday,  30th.  Agnes  came  again  this  morning.  She 
had  a  pleasant  visit  to  Winthrop.  I  wish  I  had  been 
there.  She  passed  the  evening  with  me.  These  are 
very  happy  days,  it  makes  up  for  everything. 

Saturday,  October  1st.  Agnes  goes  to-day.  I  am  not 
well  enough  to  go  my  way;  shall  wait  till  Monday. 
She  came  this  morning,  bade  good-by,  —  't  is  not  so 
hard  as  the  last  time. 

Sunday,  2d.  Long  day.  "Went  down  stairs  to  Aunt 
Carry's  in  evening.  Dr.  Van  Buren  says  I  must  not  do 
anything  for  six  months  at  least.  Wrote  short  note  to 
Agnes. 

Monday,  3d.  Cannot  go  to-day.  To-morrow.  Tel- 
egraph to  father.  Miss  Adams  goes  on  with  us.  Down 
etairs  in  evening. 

Tuesday,  4th.  Leave  this  afternoon  for  Boston,  via 
Stonington.  Horrid  route.  I  am  not  in  the  humor  for 
travelling  at  best. 

Wednesday,  5th.  Cars  at  seven,  delay  at  Providence, 
slow  train,  reach  Boston  at  one.  Carriage,  Anna  at 
depot.  Drive  directly  out.  All  glad  to  see  me  of  course. 
Shown  to  my  room  —  should  not  know  it,  beautifully 
furnished  and  adorned.  Bookcase  and  desk  from  Agnes. 

Thursday,  6th.  Saw  Ned  and  Billy  last  night.  My 
room  looks  very  well.  My  swords  hung  in  trophy.  A 
set  of  Prescott  complete,  from  Uncle  Ed.  and  Aunt 
Carry.  Paper  knife  from  Miss  Adams.  This  desk  is 
just  what  I  wanted. 

Friday,  7th.  This  being  at  home  again  is  delicious ; 
comfort  and  rest.  May  I  never  be  separated  from  it 
10 


146    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

again  by  such  an  impassable  barrier  as  that  line  of  hos- 
tile bayonets ! 

Saturday,  8th.  Short  note  from  Agnes  in  one  o* 
Anna's.  Cattle-fair  week  there.  I  remember  two  years 
ago  very  well. 

Sunday,  $th.  Beautiful  day.  Family  go  up  to  church. 
Anna  stays  at  home  with  me.  Wrote  Agnes  in  morn- 
ing. Anna  told  me  about  their  visit  here. 

Monday,  10th.  Sent  long  letter  to  Agnes.  Down 
stairs  in  evening.  Anna  reading  "  Pendennis." 

Tuesday,  llth.  Letter  from  Agnes.  "Wrote  E.G. 
Adams,  C.  J.  Mills,  Brady,  Mrs.  Bramhall.  Anna  read 
Prescott's  review  of  Lockhart's  "  Life  of  Scott." 
Arthur  Curtis  is  released.  Mulford  kept  his  word.  Dr. 
White  came  down.  Bought  "Napier's  Peninsulai 
War." 

October  13,  1864. 

I  don't  need  to  tell  you  that  I  am,  and  have  been,  im 
patient  to  see  you,  but  I  have  not  seen  any  one,  and  am 
not  allowed  to  write,  my  eyes  sharing  with  the  rest  of 
my  system  a  prostration  which  is  something  quite  new 
to  me.  My  surgeons  put  on  very  grave  faces,  and  tell 
me  I  must  have  perfect  rest  and  quiet,  with  careful 
treatment,  diet,  etc.,  for  six  months,  and  predict  very 
unpleasant  things  otherwise.  I  propose  to  disappoint 
them  in  regard  to  time W.  F.  B. 

Wednesday,  12th.  Went  to  Boston.  Bought  carpet, 
table  and  cloth,  brackets,  etc.  A  beautiful  bust  of  Gari- 
baldi by  Pietro  Stefani.  It  is  the  best  likeness  that  I 
ever  saw.  Horse-car  smashed  carryall.  Saw  many 
that  I  knew.  Boston  looks  very  gay. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    147 

Thursday,  I3th.  Rain-storm.  Wrote  letters.  Ar- 
thur is  out.  Home  to-night.  Mulford  kept  his  word. 
Notes  from  Ben  and  F.  W.  P. 

Friday,  14:th.  Rainy.  Letter  from  Agnes  at  Copake. 
Table  and  brackets  came  to-day. 

Saturday,  15th.     Rainy.     Do  not  go  to  town, 

Sunday,  IQth.  Sweet,  long  letter  from  my  darling. 
Wrote  this  afternoon. 

Monday,  17 th.  Went  to  town,  saw  Ben  and  F.  W.  P., 
Murray,  many  people.  Saw  Dr.  Bigelow.  Sent  letter 
to  Agnes. 

.  Friday,  21st.  Put  my  leg  on  this  morning,  not  very 
comfortable  yet.  Three  years  ago  to-day,  Ball's  Bluff. 
Wrote  Dr.  J.  Monroe,  560  Hudson  St.,  New  York,  about 
his  leg. 

Saturday,  22d.  Had  to  go  to  bed  this  p.  M.  Bad 
headache,  etc.,  etc.  Letter  from  Agnes,  do  not  read  it 
to-night.  Sent  letter  to  Agnes. 

Sunday,  23d.  Keep  my  bed  all  day  —  read  Agnes' 
letter.  It  is  rather  discouraging,  this  slipping  up  so 
often.  I  don't  make  any  improvement. 

Monday,  24th.  Dr.  Bigelow  is  not  at  home.  Sat  up 
to-day.  Cannot  read  or  be  read  to,  it  makes  my  head 
ache. 

Tuesday,  25th.     Sit  up.     Not  much  better. 

Wednesday,  2Qth.  Little  better;  bad  headache  if  I 
hear  reading  or  use  my  eyes. 

Thursday,  27th.     Dr.  Crane  came  to  see  me. 

Friday,  28th.  Rain-storm.  Sent  letter  to  Agnes. 
Frank  Palfrey  comes  down.  Very  pleasant  evening. 
I  smoked  a  "  Manilla."  Told  him  of  my  engagement, 
«tc.  Letter  from  leg  man,  New  York. 


148    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  year  1864,  there  was 
little  that  was  noteworthy  in  his  life.  He  re- 
mained at  his  home  at  Winthrop  for  the  most 
part,  but  he  made  frequent  excursions  to  Boston, 
and  one  visit  of  several  days  to  New  York,  where 
he  met  his  fiancee,  and  passed  most  of  his  time 
with  her.  He  rode  occasionally,  drove  often,  re- 
ceived and  made  many  visits,  and  passed  much 
time  in  reading  and  letter-writing.  His  health 
improved  upon  the  whole,  but  slowly.  On  the 
12th  of  November  he  wrote  :  "  I  am  very  much 
encouraged  by  my  condition  the  last  few  days, 
very  little  pain,  no  diarrhoea."  The  condition  of 
his  stump  also  improved  with  his  general  condi- 
tion, and  he  was  able  to  wear  his  old  wooden  leg, 
and  also  a  new  one  which  he  procured  at  this 
time,  with  more  comfort  than  before.  On  Thanks- 
giving Day,  November  24,  he  wrote :  "  How 
much  I  have  to  give  thanks  for  on  this  day. 
That  I  am  here,  as  well  as  I  am.  When  I  think 
of  what  easily  might  have  been  !  "  and  on  the 
last  day  of  the  year  :  — 

"  So  ends  1864,  an  eventful  year  for  me  in  more  ways 
than  one.  May  the  end  of  1865  find  me  alive  and  well, 
*  better  man,  and  more  deserving  of  God's  mercy  and 
goodness  and  the  love  of  my  darling  Agnes." 

On  the  16th  of  January,  1865,  his  engagement 
to  Miss  Mary  Agnes  Pomeroy,  of  Pittsfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, was  formally  announced  at  a  great  fes- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    149 

tival  at  The  Homestead,  the  residence  of  her  father, 
Mr.  Robert  Pomeroy,  upon  the  occasion  of  his 
silver  wedding.  He  passed  the  winter  and  spring 
of  1865  at  his  home  and  at  Pittsfield.  He  was 
much  out  of  health,  suffering  constantly  from  his 
prison  dysen  fcery  and  from  weakness.  He  applied 
loi  duty  on  the  13th  of  April,  but  nothing  came 
of  ihe  application  for  some  time.  In  the  follow- 
ing May,  he  recorded  in  his  journal  that  he  was 
"  much  better  than  since  last  July  " ;  and  on  the 
23d  of  that  month  he  made  another  and  formal 
application  to  the  War  Department,  accompany- 
ing his  letter  with  a  surgeon's  certificate  that  he 
was  able  to  return  to  duty. 

On  the  1st  of  June  he  commanded  the  mili- 
tary escort  of  the  great  procession  which  that  day 
filled  the  streets  of  Boston,  upon  the  occasion  of 
the  ceremonies  commemorative  of  the  late  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  ;  and  those  who  saw  him  then  are  not 
likely  to  forget  the  striking  appearance  he  pre- 
sented as  he  rode,  in  full  uniform,  at  the  head  of 
his  column  of  many  thousand  men  of  the  three 
.irms. 

On  the  9th  of  June  he  received  his  orders  from 
the  War  Department  to  report  without  delay  to 
the  General  commanding  the  Ninth  Corps,  for 
duty.  He  arrived  in  Washington  on  the  13th,  and 
reported  himself  at  the  War  Department  the  same 
day.  On  the  19th  of  June  he  took  command  of 
&e  First  Division  of  the  Ninth  Corps,  at  Tenally- 
town,  near  Washington. 


150    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION,  NINTH  CORPS, 
NEAR  WASHINGTON,  June  26,  1865. 

Why  should  n't  I  send  you  a  few  lines  this  rainy  af- 
ternoon, to  tell  you  where  I  am  and  what  doing  ?  I  was 
very  sorry  not  to  see  you  before  I  came  away,  but  you 
had  gone  out  of  town.  I  got  my  orders  Friday  after- 
noon, and  left  two  P.  M.  Saturday,  —  rather  a  short  time 
in  which  to  break  up  a  seven  months'  camp.  I  was  not 
able  to  see  any  one,  of  course ;  but  good-by  now  was  a 
much  less  serious  matter,  and  more  easily  omitted,  than 
it  was  seven  months  ago.  I  hope  you  and  your  wife  are 
out  of  town  by  this  time,  enjoying  fresh  air  and  exer- 
cise. 

I  am  rather  pleasantly  situated.  I  am  commanding 
the  First  Division  of  the  Corps.  My  headquarters  are 
in  a  lovely  oak  grove,  a  few  (2£)  miles  out  from  George- 
town, on  the  Tenallytown  Road,  the  old  Rockville  Pike 
which  we  knew  of  old.  I  am  just  a  little  off  the  road, 
in  tents.  I  prefer  sleeping  in  a  tent,  although  there  is 
a  very  good  house  near  by  at  my  service. 

The  temperature  out  here  under  these  trees  is  a  very 
different  thing  from  the  fiendish  heat  of  that  wretched 
town  that  consists  of  the  President's  house  and  the  Capi- 
tol. I  was  there  a  week  before  I  came  out  here,  and  it 
nearly  killed  me. 

My  Division  lies  up  the  road  towards  Tenallytown 
—  three  brigades,  well  situated  for  water,  slope,  and  air. 
One  brigade  is  commanded  by  a  brigadier,  the  other  two 
by  colonels.  I  found  the  command  in  rather  a  slack 
state  of  discipline.  No  attention  paid  to  guard-duty  or 
drill.  It  is  natural  that  men  should  feel,  now  that  the 
tfar  for  which  they  enlisted  is  over,  that  there  is  no  fur- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.     151 

ther  need  of  discipline,  and  that  the  strict  performance 
of  guard-duty  any  longer  is  needless.  (I  only  name 
guard-duty  as  one  of  the  points  by  which  you  judge  of  a 
regiment's  "  breeding  "  and  efficiency.)  In  this  they  are 
rather  encouraged  by  a  certain  class  of  officers,  —  you 
well  know  what  I  mean  if  I  say  the  Le  Barnes  school, 
—  and  this  feeling  of  expectancy  and  uncertainty  about 
getting  mustered  out  is  prejudicial  to  discipline. 

I  had  all  the  regimental  and  brigade  commanders  here 
the  other  night,  and  gave  them  a  lecture  of  an  hour  and 
a  half.  You  would  have  smiled  to  see  me  laying  down 
the  law,  surrounded  by  about  twenty  of  these  old  birds. 
I  fancy  it  woke  them  up,  for  I  have  been  pleased  to  see 
a  marked  change  for  the  better  already. 

It  seems  funny  to  be  here  on  this  old  road,  in  com- 
mand of  a  Division,  where  I  marched  up  under  your 
baton  not  many  months  ago  on  foot.  I  intend  to  ride 
up  to  Poolesville  as  soon  as  the  weather  is  a  little  cooler, 
if  we  remain  here,  and  going  over  to  Ball's  Bluff  and 
Leesburg.  I  wish  you  would  come  out  and  go  too. 

Charlie  Whittier  and  Macy  were  over  to  see  me  the 
other  day.  Whit,  is  the  same  fair  boy  as  ever.  I  sup- 
pose the  Army  of  the  Potomac  will  be  dissolved  soon ; 
an  order  will  soon  be  out  mustering  out  "  veterans," 
which  will  reduce  it  very  much. 

Miss  Jennie  Turnbull  proposes  to  convert  me  from 
my  dislike  to  Washington,  so  that  I  shall  never  want  to 
go  away  from  here  after  a  little  while.  I  should  like  to 
"  give  odds  "  on  it. 

Dear  Frank,  this  is  n't  a  very  satisfactory  letter. 
There  are  many  things  that  I  have  to  talk  with  you 
about. 


152    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Remember  me  to  all  yours.     Let  me  have  a  line  from 
you  when  you  have  a  spare  half  hour,  and  believe  me, 
Always  yours,  FRANK. 

On  the  2d  of  July,  he  speaks  of  seeing  General 
Parke,  the  Corps  commander,  and  of  his  telling 
him  that  all  the  troops  in  the  Department  were  to 
be  mustered  out,  and  he  adds  "  I  do  not  care  how 
soon  I  go.  I  find  I  am  not  able  to  stand  it."  The 
hot  weather  was  especially  trying  to  him.  He 
left  his  command  on  the  14th  July,  when  his 
Division  was  broken  up,  and  that  was  the  last  of 
his  actual  service,  though,  through  the  kindness 
of  Mr.  Stanton,  the  Secretary  of  War,  he  was  not 
mustered  out  of  the  military  service  till  a  much 
later  date.  The  following  correspondence  in  re- 
lation to  a  leave  of  absence  which  he  desired, 
though  a  little  later  in  date  tban  the  letter  which 
immediately  follows  it,  may  conveniently  be  in- 
serted here. 

(Confidential.) 

16  BROAD  STREET,  BOSTON,  August  9,  1865. 
HON.  E.  M.  STANTON  :  — 

Dear  Sir,  —  You  were  kind  enough  to  say  to  me  a 
few  weeks  ago,  when  I  called  to  pay  my  respects  to  you 
before  leaving  Washington,  that  you  would  be  glad  to  do 
anything  for  me  at  any  time.  I  take  you  at  your  word, 
and  ask  you  frankly  for  advice  on  a  subject  which  has 
been  suggested  by  some  of  my  friends,  in  the  army  and 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    153 

They  are  desirous  that  I  should  visit  Europe  before  I 
leave  the  army,  —  that  I  should  be  there  while  an  officer 
of  the  U.  S.  Volunteers,  —  and  wish  me  to  apply  for  a 
six  months'  leave  of  absence.  You  are  aware  that  I  lost 
my  leg  in  the  first  year  of  the  war,  and  have  been  in  the 
service  (active)  ever  since,  being  badly  wounded  again 
at  the  assault  on  Port  Hudson  in  the  arm  and  other 
foot  (where  my  conduct  caused  you  to  offer  me  a  bri- 
gadier-general's commission),  and  again  in  the  Wilder- 
ness. My  health  was  very  much  impaired  by  my  im- 
prisonment last  summer,  and  I  have  not  been  well  since, 
although  on  duty  in  command  of  the  First  Division, 
Ninth  Corps,  until  within  a  few  weeks,  after  I  was  fit  for 
any  duty.  I  have  not  sought  for  assignment  to  any  duty 
since  the  muster-out  of  the  troops,  for  I  knew  there 
were  a  hundred  applicants  for  every  one  place,  and  I 
did  not  care  to  swell  the  number.  I  am  at  home,  await- 
ing orders.  I  thought  I  would  take  you  at  your  word, 
sir,  and  instead  of  sending  a  formal  application  for  this 
leave,  backed  by  such  influence  as  I  might  command, 
I  would  simply  ask  you  what  favor  such  a  request 
would  meet  with  from  you. 

Colonel  Conolly,  Adjutant-general  (late)  of  forces  in 
Canada,  is  desirous  that  I  should  visit  England  while  I 
am  still  in  the  army. 

Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  tell  me  your  views  on  the 
subject,  and  whether  you  will  grant  such  a  request? 

I  should  expect  to  be  mustered  out  at  the  expiration 
of  the  leave  unless  my  services  were  required,  which  is 
not  probable. 

Even  if  the  leave  were  to  be  on  half  or  without  pay, 
from  the  time  when  I  should  otherwise  be  mustered  out, 


154    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

it  would  meet  the  wishes  of  my  friends,  as  far  as  still 
being  in  the  service  is  concerned.  Hoping  for  an  an- 
swer as  frank  as  my  statement  to  you  is,  I  remain,  very 
respectfully  and  sincerely, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  F.  BARTLETT,  Brigadier-general. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  August  12,  1865. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  Your  note  of  the  9th  inst.  reached 
me  this  morning,  and  the  Adjutant-general  has  been 
directed  to  give  you  six  months'  leave  of  absence  with 
the  privilege  to  go  beyond  the  limits  of  the  United 
States.  I  would  be  glad  to  continue  the  pay,  but  it 
would  lead  to  so  many  applications  of  a  similar  nature 
as  to  become  necessary  perhaps  to  revoke  all.  The 
question  of  pay  therefore  can  remain  suspended,  but  it 
is  probable  that  the  service  will  require  the  absence  to 
be  without  pay.  Yours  truly, 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON. 
BREVET  MAJOR-GENERAL  BARTLETT, 
16  Broad  Street,  Boston. 

(Draft  of  answer.) 

August  19,  1865. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  I  cannot  express  to  you  my  apprecia- 
tion of  and  thanks  for  your  very  kind  note  of  the  12th, 
in  which  you  so  graciously  grant  my  request  for  leave 
of  absence.  I  cannot  forget  your  kindness  in  this  mat- 
ter, and  shall  try  not  to  forfeit  your  favorable  considera- 
tion. 

You  addressed  me  as  Brevet  Major-general,  and  I 
tave  been  informed  that  such  a  brevet  had  been  rec- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    155 

ommended,  and  that  Mr.  S.  had  written  to  you  con 
cerning  its  confirmation,  but  I  have  not  received  any 
official  notice  of  it,  and  the  leave  is  made  out  for  Brig- 
adier-general. In  the  matter  of  pay,  you  have  said 
all  that  I  could  expect,  and  I  am  content  to  leave  the 
question  suspended,  and  await  the  decision  that  circum- 
stances may  dictate,  judging  that  it  is  not  doubtful  up 
to  the  time  when  I  should  otherwise  have  been  mustered 
out. 

I  have  just  received  the  leave  from  the  Adjutant- 
general's  office.  Yours,  etc. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIRST  DIVISION,  NINTH  CORPS. 

July  8,  1865. 

My  last  was  written  about  the  24th  ult.,  since  which 
time  I  have  changed  my  views  somewhat  about  re- 
maining in  the  service.  I  find  that  it  is  a  very  different 
thing  from  what  it  used  to  be  in  war  times.  There 
is  not  half  the  incentive  to  labor  on  your  command 
that  there  once  was,  and  especially  now,  when  these 
troops  are  restless  and  dissatisfied  about  getting  mus- 
tered out,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  men  or  offi- 
cers to  do  their  duty  properly.  As  I  told  you,  I  found 
the  Division  in  a  poor  state  of  discipline.  I  have  suc- 
ceeded in  bringing  it  up  somewhat,  but  it  has  only  been 
by  my  constant  personal  supervision. 

I  have  roughed  more  officers,  and  reduced  more  non- 
coms,  to  the  ranks,  these  last  two  or  three  weeks,  than  in 
any  other  year  of  service.  There  is  a  very  visible  and 
gratifying  change,  still  there  is  not  that  charm  about  the 
life  that  used  to  fascinate.  You  feel  that  the  object, 
the  aim,  of  this  discipline  is  gone.  You  cannot  feel  that 


156    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

next  week,  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy,  we  shall  reap 
the  benefit  of  this  drill  and  training. 

I  am  very  glad  that  I  came  out  here  and  satisfied 
myself,  otherwise  I  might  have  always  regretted  that  I 
had  left  the  service,  and  been  restless  and  discontented. 

There  are  many  pleasant  things  about  it  still 

There  is  always  more  or  less  of  a  feeling  of  pride  and 
pleasure  in  having  a  number  of  men  under  your  control. 
But  I  have  not  been  quite  so  well  here  as  I  was  at 
home,  and  I  really  suppose  it  would  be  better  for  me  to 
be  further  north  this  summer.  For  all  that,  Frank,  it 
will  be  a  very  sad  day  for  me,  the  one  that  I  cease  to  be 

a  soldier I  shall  be  in  Boston  the  20th.  I  am 

looking  forward  to  the  21st  with  dread.  I  have  been 
informed  that  a  few  words  would  be  expected  from  me, 
among  others,  and,  Frank,  I'll  swear  I  can't  get  up 
before  such  a  crowd  as  that,  and  speak.  What  can  I 
say?  I  am  not  joking.  I  feel  very  unpleasantly  about 
it I  was  talking  with  Charley  Whittier  yester- 
day; he  is  afraid  he  will  be  called  on,  and  we  were 
groaning  in  sympathy. 

By  the  way,  Charley  has  one  of  the  best  appointments 
in  the  service,  better  than  he  could  have  hoped  for  as  a 
volunteer  officer,  when  so  very  few  will  be  retained,— 
Adjutant-general  of  one  of  the  departments  of  the  Pa- 
cific, either  Oregon  or  California.  It  is  a  very  great 
compliment  to  him,  and  every  one  here  is  glad ;  he  is 
a  great  favorite  throughout  the  arnry.  He  will  be  in 
Boston  till  the  first  of  August.  Macy  has  got  a  brigade 
in  the  Provisional  Army  Potomac.  He  intends  to  stay, 
I  believe.  I  don't  suppose  he  can  after  the  Twentieth  is 
mustered  out,  but  that  is  retained  for  the  present.  By 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    157 

the  way,  I  have  something  to  tell  you  which  will  please 
and  interest  you  to  know.  I  was  recommended  some 
time  since  for  a  "  Brevet  Major-general "  for  "  gallant 
and  meritorious  conduct"  at  the  Mine.  I  had  never 
heard  of  it  before,  and  indeed  had  never  thought  of  such 
a  thing,  and  I  was  not  a  little  surprised,  as  you  will  be, 
to  hear  it.  Colonel  Marshall  told  me  that  he  saw  the 
report.  Very  few  of  the  recommendations  for  brevets 
have  been  acted  upon  in  this  Corps  yet,  and  I  suppose 
mine  is  filed  with  the  rest.  So  I  don't  expect  to  get  it 
before  I  leave  the  service.  But  it  is  rather  gratifying 
to  know  that  the  recommendation  has  been  made,  even 
if  there  is  nothing  more.  I  never  ask  any  questions, 
and  1  suppose  that  is  why  I  did  n't  know  of  this  before. 
They  seem  to  expect  if  a  man  wants  a  brevet,  he  will 
apply  or  ask  for  it,  which  to  me  (I  may  have  a  false 
idea  about  such  things)  seems  a  contradiction  in  terms. 
An  officer,  speaking  in  a  complimentary  way  of  my  for- 
tunes the  other  night,  asked  me  why  I  did  n't  "  apply  for 
a  brevet."  To  cut  him  down,  for  he  was  one  of  them, 
I  rather  lied  when  I  said,  "  I  did  n't  know  that  was  the 
way  you  got  them."  T  have  learnt  that,  since  I  have 
been  out  here.  Why,  Frank,  we  used  to  think  that  our 
officers  who  had  been  brevetted  in  the  Mexican  "War 
were  special  heroes,  and  had  done  some  extraordinary 
feat  of  courage  and  devotion,  but  this  sort  of  thing  makes 
me  rather  skeptical  about  the  value  of  a  brevet  in  the 

armies  of  the  Republic 

Yours  ever,  FRANK. 

July  21,  1865,  was  "  Commemoration  Day  "  at 
Cambridge,  when  Harvard  College  welcomed  her 


158    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

sons  who  had  served  in  the  war.  At  the  dinner 
which  closed  the  celebration,  the  President,  after 
many  speeches  had  been  made,  introduced  Gen- 
eral Bartlett,  by  alluding  to  an  ancient  picture  of 
a  warrior  maimed  and  deprived  of  an  eye,  on 
which  was  the  inscription,  "  The  heart  is  left,"  1 
and  said  that  General  Bartlett's  heart  was  left, 
and  was  always  in  the  right  place  for  the  service 
of  his  country.  General  Bartlett  rose  to  reply 
with  evident  diffidence,  and  said  that  he  did  not 
wish  to  detain  the  audience,  and  that  if  he  had  all 
the  eloquence  in  the  world,  he  could  not  express 
his  feelings.  Then  he  seemed  to  hesitate,  and 
Colonel  Henry  Lee,  the  Chief  Marshal  of  the  day, 
rose  and  said  :  "  As  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Burgesses  of  Virginia  said  to  Washington,  Sit 
down,  sir,  your  modesty  is  equal  to  your  valor, 
and  that  surpasses  the  power  of  any  language  I 
possess."  Enthusiastic  applause  followed,  and 
the  soldier  said  no  more. 

1  Memorandum  from  Colonel  Henry  Lee :  — 
"  Joaias,  C'te  de  Ramtezan,  30  Juin,  Ifi45.   Mare'chal  de  France, 
1650. 

"  n  dlspersa  ses  membres  et  sa  gloire. 
Tout  abattu  qu?il  fut  il  demeura  vainqueur. 
Son  sang  fut  on  cent  lieux  le  prix  de  la  victoire, 
Et  Mars  ne  lui  laissa  rien  d'entier  que  le  cceur. 

"  This  is  the  legend  beneath  the  portrait  of  a  handsome  yonng 
cavalier  upon  a  caracoling  horse,  one  eye  covered  with  a  handker- 
chief, a  hook  for  his  sword-hand,  a  wooden  leg  in  one  stirrup. 
The  bearing  and  condition  of  this  warrior  recalled  Bartlett,  and 
[  gave  Mr.  Loring  the  legend  in  French  and  English." 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    159 

General  Bartlett  was  married  at  Pittsfield,  on 
the  14th  of  October,  1865,  to  Miss  Mary  Agnes 
Pomeroy,  a  most  charming  and  admirable  woman, 
to  whom  he  was  devotedly  attached,  as  she  was  to 
him.  He  sailed  for  England  with  his  wife  on  the 
18th  of  the  same  month,  and  they  returned  to 
America  in  June  of  the  following  year.  Their 
trip  was  successful  and  delightful,  and  was  of 
great  service  to  the  crippled  and  exhausted  sol- 
dier. His  letters  and  journals  tell  with  sufficient 
fulness  the  story  of  their  wanderings. 

4  WESTBOURNE  SQUARE,  HYDE  PARK,  WEST. 
LONDON,  November  8,  1865. 

There  you  have  it  in  full,  our  present  location.  The 
Pomeroys  have  taken  a  house,  very  nice  one,  comfort- 
ably furnished  and  served,  in  Oxford  Terrace,  a  short 
ride  from  here;  but  Agnes'  cousin  insisted  on  having 
us  two  with  him.  He  lives  in  very  good  style  in  this, 
one  of  the  best  localities.  We  are  of  course  much  more 
comfortable  here  than  we  should  be  at  hotel  or  lodgings, 
and  are  hardly  able  to  realize  that  we  are  in  a  foreign 
land,  for  thus  far  we  have  been,  both  here  and  at  Rock 
Park  (Liverpool),  so  much  at  home.  We  stayed  nearly 
a  week  at  Rock  Park,  getting  our  land  legs  on  again. 

We  had  a  very  rough  passage.  I  was  quite  sick  the 
first  day  or  two,  much  to  my  disgust  and  surprise.  But 
Gus.  Perkins,  who  was  with  us,  consoled  me  by  telling 
«ne  of  his  brother-in-law,  who  made  fifteen  passages 
without  being  in  the  least  sick,  and  the  sixteenth  suffered 
dreadfully  the  whole  voyage.  Which,  though  it  quieted 


160    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

my  feelings,  did  not  affect  my  stomach.  The  rest  of  the 
party  were  sick  for  the  first  few  days.  We  had  not  one 
smooth  day.  It  is  perfectly  impossible  for  me  to  write 
anything  satisfactory  just  now,  as  several  people  are 
talking  to  me.  I  have  been  about  London  a  little,  do- 
ing a  little  general  sight-seeing,  trying  to  get  the  "  lay 
of  the  land,"  etc. 

DEAR  COLONEL  PALFREY, — I  can't  resist  just  adding 
my  mite  to  Frank's  letter.  I  shall  report  to  you  all  the 
honor  done  to  one  we  both  love  so  well.  He  is  a  won- 
der to  everybody,  walking  so  well,  arid  so  young  a  gen- 
eral. The  ship-board  people  thought  the  story  of  his 
having  but  one  leg  a  Canterbury,  and  I  did  not  wonder, 
for  he  managed  remarkably.  I  am  very  proud  of  him. 
Do  you  think  it  unpardonable  ?  I  am  sure  not.  We 
are  enjoying  every  moment.  I  think  it  would  be  hard 
to  find  two  happier  people  than  Frank  and  myself  any- 
where in  Christendom.  I  am  hoping  he  will  see  some 
of  the  troops  next  week.  General  Weatherall  of  the 
Horse-guards  will  be  back  then,  and  he  is  a  great  friend 
of  ours.  We  are  going  down  to  my  cousin's  hunting- 
box  on  Friday.  There  is  to  be  a  "  Meet  "  on  Saturday. 
Frank  will  ride,  though  he  will  not  follow  the  hounds. 
I  expect  we  shall  enjoy  the  novelty  of  the  sight  very 
much.  But  I  must  not  steal  Frank's  thunder,  and  I 
shall  just  say  good-by  now,  only  adding  much  love  for 
your  dear  wife  and  my  cordial  remembrances  to  all  your 
family.  I  don't  know  what  Frank  will  say  to  this  in- 
trusion, but  I  could  not  help  it. 

Very  truly  yours,        AGNES  BARTLETT. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    161 

Friday,  10th.  I  was  interrupted,  and  I  find  that 
Agnes  has  been  putting  in  a  word,  which  you  won't 
mind.  I  have  only  a  few  minutes  to  write  to-day,  for 
we  are  off  in  an  hour  or  two  to  the  country,  where 
George  has  a  hunting-box.  Agnes  and  Mrs.  G.  will 
drive  down  in  the  coupe,  and  I  shall  go  by  rail  later.  I 
have  a  note  from  George  this  morning,  who  went  down 
yesterday,  saying  he  had  a  good  day.  The  "  Meet "  to- 
morrow is  about  two  miles  from  the  "  Box."  I  shall 
ride  one  of  his  thorough-breds,  but  1  do  not  expect  to 
follow  the  hounds,  as  it  would  be  very  foolish,  not  hav- 
ing my  own  saddle,  etc. 

Lord  Maiden  is  "  master  of  the  hounds  "  (it  is  a  sub- 
scription pack).  I  expect  to  enjoy  meeting  some  of 
these  birds  as  much  as  seeing  the  hounds.  I  have  n't 
time  to  tell  you  about  George,  what  a  "  swell  "  he  is  on 
wines  and  cigars,  and  that  sort  of  thing.  I  will  write 
you  next  week  if  it  is  a  possible  thing. 

I  have  not  done  anything  in  the  way  of  troops  yet,  as 
General  Weatherall  has  gone  into  the  country  for  a 
week's  shooting.  Next  week  he  will  be  here.  I  saw  a 
very  handsome  troop  of  horse-guards  in  the  street,  fine- 
looking  fellows,  all  mounted  on  black  horses.  But  if  I 
were  queen  of  England,  I'll  swear  that  I  would  have 
better  soldiers  on  guard  in  front  of  my  quarters  than 
were  in  front  of  Buckingham  Palace  the  day  we  drove 
by  there.  They  were  not  soldierly  sentinels.  They 
neither  marched  well,  nor  came  about  well,  nor  carried 
their  pieces  well,  of  which  more  anon. 

I  must  say  good-by,  old  fellow.  I  hope  to  hear  a  word 
from  you  pretty  soon.  I  am  very  well  and  strong.  Take 
ipy  beer  for  lunch  like  a  man.  Love  to  all  yours ;  ex- 
11 


162    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

cuse  this  shabby  letter.    I  know  you  will  say  it 's  shabby, 
for  you  never  lie,  even  out  of  politeness. 

And  believe  me,  with  much  love,  ever  yours, 

FRANK  BARTLETT. 

LONDON,  November  18, 1865. 

Only  time  for  a  word  this  ship.  Last  Saturday,  went 
down  to  George's  hunting-box,  and  if  you  will  believe 
it,  rode  one  of  his  thorough -breds  in  tops  and  cords  on 
an  English  hunting-saddle  after  the  hounds,  and  was  in 
at  the  death.  It  was  great  sport.  I  did  not  do  anything 
foolish  in  the  way  of  big  jumps,  of  course,  but  I  never 
wanted  two  legs  so  much  in  my  life.  I  would  have 
shown  the  field  some  clean  heels,  I  fancy,  for  my  chest- 
nut was  a  "  goer,"  stands  to  win  a  steeple-chase,  etc.  I 
rode  upwards  of  twenty  miles,  and  then,  as  the  second 
fox  had  been  lost,  and  my  leg  began  to  chafe,  I  turned 
home.  It  was  a  beautiful  sight,  Frank,  —  what  I  have 
always  wanted  to  see,  but  never  supposed  that  I  should 
take  part  in  it.  Lord  Maiden  is  master  of  the  hounds, 
and  was  much  interested  in  my  riding.  I  believe  I  am 
to  have  the  "  brush."  I  wish  you  could  see  the  horse 
that  my  groom  rode.  He  is  a  wicked  one ;  but  if  you 
should  "put  him  at"  a  barn  he  would  rise  to  it  (and  if  it 
was  n't  too  absurd,  I  was  going  to  say,  could  take  it). 
He  is  called  "  Greek  Fire,"  and  is  one  of  the  "  strong- 
est "  goers  in  England.  He  had  a  hard  hunt  the  day 
before,  and  so  was  very  quiet  that  day.  Are  n't  you 
glad  I  was  able  to  see  so  much  of  a  hunt  ?  I  got  along 
in  an  English  saddle  much  better  than  I  expected.  But 
you  know  in  riding  here  you  put  your  foot  way  into  the 
iron  up  to  your  instep,  so  that  was  just  the  thing  for  my 


MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    163 

Wooden  foot.     I  shall  have  to  leave  a  good  deal  of  this 
to  tell  you. 

Yesterday  we  came  in  from  Walton  on  Thames,  Stur- 
gis's  place,  where  we  had  been  to  dine  and  pass  the 
night,  —  splendid  house,  everything  very  swell  and  com- 
fortable. I  enjoy  the  life  here  very  much,  especially 
the  country  life.  I  like  their  style  in  this  thing.  I  wish 
I  had  time  to  write  you  a  long  letter,  but  have  patience. 
I  go  to  Aldershott  next  week,  and  Woolwich,  with 
Colonel  Conolly.  He  has  written  to  General  Sir  James 
Scarlett,  commanding,  that  he  is  coming  to  bring  me, 
and  so,  if  he  is  going  to  have  anything  worth  seeing,  to 
put  it  off  till  the  day  we  are  there.  He  served  twenty 
years  with  Sir  James,  on  his  staff  and  otherwise,  and  I 
could  n't  have  a  better  man  to  go  there  with.  I  am  go- 
ing to  see  guard-mounting  in  St.  James's  Park,  too,  next 
week,  with  him,  and  will  tell  you  of  that.  It  is  not  the 
time  of  year  to  see  troops  here,  as  they  have  no  field- 
days  and  reviews  now ;  but  nous  verrons. 

We  dine  with  Weatherall  next  week.  He  is  one  of 
the  swells  here  in  the  army  line.  I  saw  him  at  the 
Horse-guards  yesterday.  Also  dine  at  the  Army  and 
Navy  Club  one  day  with  Conolly. 

Yours,  FRANK. 

November  29. 

I  doubt  my  getting  off  a  long  letter  to  you  this  time. 
I  have  been  kept  in  the  house  these  last  three  days,  and 
indeed  in  my  room,  by  a  very  severe  boil  (more  like  a 
carbuncle,  the  Doctor  says),  just  on  the  small  of  my  back, 
BO  that  I  could  neither  wear  leg  nor  even  pants.  I  shall 
ijet  out  to-morrow,  I  think.  Since  I  sent  you  my  last 


164    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

scrap  of  a  note,  I  have  done  nothing  very  important. 
On  the  21st  we  went  down  to  St.  James's  Palace  with 
Conolly,  and  saw  guard-mounting.  One  company  of  the 
Grenadiers  relieved  a  company  of  the  Coldstreams. 
Their  guard-mounting  is  different  from  ours,  you  know. 
The  inspection  is  all  done  at  the  barracks  before  they 
march  out.  The  band  forms  in  a  circle  at  one  side  of 
the  quadrangle,  and  plays  while  the  two  guards  stand 
facing  each  other,  about  forty  paces  apart.  The  first 
relief  being  sent  out  to  post,  when  the  relief  gets 
round  the  old  guard  marches  off,  the  new  guard  sa- 
luting, and  every  officer  within  sight  of  the  colors,  not 
on  duty  nor  even  in  uniform,  lifting  the  beaver  and 
standing  uncovered  as  reverently  while  England's  color 
goes  by,  as  if  it  were  England's  queen,  and  I  think  it  is 
splendid,  and  as  it  should  be  in  every  country.  I  met 
one  or  two  pleasant  men  there,  one  Seymour,  Captain 
on  Staff,  and  one  Bramston,  Colonel. 

The  next  day  but  one  Conolly  had  me  to  breakfast 
at  the  Army  and  Navy  Club,  Pall  Mall,  and  after  that 
we  went  down  the  river  on  one  of  the  many  swift- ply- 
ing, dirty  little  steamboats,  under  the  many  bridges, 
getting  the  best  view  of  St.  Paul's,  and  the  Monument, 
and  Somerset  House,  an  immense  palace  now  used  en- 
tirely for  government  offices,  and  the  old  Tower  with  its 
many  associations.  How  I  wish  I  could  remember  all 
the  stories  about  the  Tower  that  I  knew  when  a  boy. 
By  the  shipping  of  all  nations  "  below  bridge,"  and  the 
wonderful  docks,  by  Greenwich  and  Blackwall  and  to 
Woolwich,  where  the  artillery  camp,  arsenal,  school, 
barracks,  etc.,  are.  We  found  Colonel  Reilly,  whom 
we  were  looking  for,  just  turning  out  with  his  troops 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    165 

itn  full  dress,  for  the  burial  of  a  soldier.  The  uniform 
is  very  handsome,  the  horse  artillery  being  the  only 
corps  I  believe  that  retains  the  full  dress  jacket  or  tunic. 
The  officers'  dress  was  one  labyrinth  of  gold  lace  and 
bullion.  Every  man  and  officer  has  to  turn  out  for  the 
burial  of  a  private  soldier  and  follow  the  coffin  at  slow 
march  to  the  grave.  Again,  as  it  should  be  in  every 
army.  While  they  were  gone  we  looked  through  the 
new  hospital,  built  here  on  a  very  large  scale,  and  with 
every  modern  improvement.  Then  we  went  through 
the  academy,  which  is  devoted  entirely  to  artillery  stud- 
ies. The  cadets  were  fine  looking  fellows,  wearing  those 
nobby  little  artillery  fatigue  caps  on  the  side  of  their 
head,  and  with  their  tight  fitting  jackets,  looked  very 
soldierly.  The  gymnasium  here  is  the  best  I  ever  saw. 
Then  we  went  back  to  Colonel  Reilly's  quarters.  He 
had  not  returned  from  the  burial,  but  lunch  was  ready, 
and  Conolly  and  I  being  ready  for  it,  we  sailed  in.  The 
Colonel  returned  soon  and  took  us  through  the  men's 
quarters,  etc.,  etc.,  which  were  in  the  order  that  you  can 
imagine.  Officers  do  not  return  the  salute  of  men  with- 
out arms  here.  We  drove  in  the  Colonel's  trap  over  to 
the  chapel,  which  is  very  beautiful,  and  has  one  of  the 
finest  arches  that  I  have  seen  (Byzantine  I  believe). 
Many  of  the  windows  are  memorial,  put  up  by  the  dif- 
ferent troops  of  horse  artillery.  The  mess-room  in  the 
main  barracks  is  a  very  large  and  elegant  room,  and  the 
silver  superb.  You  would  fancy  yourself  in  some  very 
Bwell  club,  from  the  space  and  comfort.  We  came  home 
by  rail,  and  dined  at  the  Army  and  Navy  Club. 

I  shall  have  to  stop  just  where  I  am,  for  I  must  get 
ihe  parcel  off  in  time,  and  this  must  go  by  mail  to 


166    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

Moodie.  I  have  put  in  one  of  the  pockets  of  your  coat 
a  trifling  souvenir  for  Christmas,  for  yourself.  I  am 
waiting  patiently  for  a  long  letter  from  you.  I  suppose 
it  must  be  long  from  the  time  you  have  been  taking  to 
write  it.  With  much  love  to  all  yours, 

Believe  me  sincerely,  FRANK. 

BRIGHTON,  December  14,  1865. 

Here  we  are  at  the  Newport  of  England,  in  the 
height  of  the  season,  hi  comfortable  apartments  fronting 
on  the  Parade,  where  the  world  is  continually  passing 
and  repassing.  We  are  on  the  ground  floor,  have  a  par- 
lor and  dining-room  in  front,  dressing-room  and  large 
bed-room  in  rear.  We  have  been  trying  for  rooms  for 
two  weeks,  but  everything  is  full.  The  Adamses  have 
been  staying  down  here,  but  went  to  town  this  week. 
We  had  a  very  kind  note  from  Mrs.  Adams  yesterday, 
asking  us  to  go  there  Friday,  but  we  had  taken  these 
rooms  and  did  not  like  to  lose  them.  She  had  been  ex- 
pecting us  down  here,  as  I  told  Mr.  Adams  that  we 
were  coming  as  soon  as  we  could  get  suitable  apart- 
ments. Charlie  Adams  is  with  them  now,  and  we  shall 
Bee  him  when  we  return  to  town. 

Yesterday,  Frank,  was  the  best  day  I  have  had  in 
England.  We  went  down  to  Aldershott,  under  charge 
of  Conolly,  on  invitation  of  Lieutenant-general  Sir  James 
Scarlett.  We  found  his  carriage,  etc.,  waiting  at  the  sta- 
tion, and  were  soon  at  his  house,  where  we  received  a 
cordial  welcome  from  the  old  General.  He  is  a  fine 
looking  old  fellow,  white  whiskers  and  moustache,  tall 
and  stout.  He  won  his  K.  C.  B.  in  the  Crimea.  His 
Itaff  were  fine  looking  men,  well  decorated.  The  troops 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    167 

were  all  out  in  line,  awaiting  our  arrival,  so  we  started 
for  the  field  at  once.  The  General  rode  a  stunning  big 
thorough -bred,  and  we  went  in  his  carriage  with  two  of 
Lady  Abinger's  nieces.  The  field  of  Aldershott  extends 
for  miles  without  a  tree  or  fence,  nothing  but  barren 
heath,  with  a  fair  division  of  hilly  and  level  ground. 
Of  course  at  this  season  of  the  year  the  ground  was  wet 
and  soft  in  some  places.  The  old  General  showed  me 
his  morning  report  before  we  went  out,  where  I  saw 
that  out  of  7,000  men  he  could  only  get  out  for  work 
about  4,500,  and  he  asked  me  if  I  had  not  experienced 
the  same  annoyance.  We  know  just  how  to  sympathize, 
don't  we,  Frank  ?  You  see  our  army  is  not  the  only 
one  where  your  effective  men  are  consumed  by  fur- 
loughs, details,  extra  duty,  etc.,  etc.  Sir  James's  carriage 
was  allowed  to  drive  inside  the  line  of  sentinels,  and 
stand  just  in  rear  of  the  reviewing  officers'  post.  The 
day,  you  must  know,  was  perfect,  the  first  sunny  day  I 
have  seen  in  England.  This  long  line  of  cavalry,  horse 
and  foot  artillery,  engineers,  and  infantry,  all  in  their 
brilliant  uniform,  was  no  common  sight  to  an  Ameri- 
can soldier.  There  were  two  regiments  of  Highlanders, 
which  added  color  and  effect  to  the  picture.  The  Gen- 
eral and  staff  started  around  the  line,  and  the  bands  be- 
gan each  in  turn,  as  with  us,  but,  also,  the  commander 
of  each  brigade,  with  his  staff,  accompanied  the  General 
along  the  front  of  his  own  line,  the  commander  of  each 
regiment  and  troop  and  battery  the  same,  which  I  think 
is  a  good  plan,  don't  you  ?  for  a  regimental  or  brigade 
commander  likes  to  see  how  his  men  look  and  stand  just 
as  well  as  the  commanding  general.  The  engineers  had 
their  whole  pontoon  train  out  with  them,  the  Division 


168    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

ambulances  and  wagons  were  drawn  up,  —  in  short,  tlu 
Division  was  in  perfect  marching  order,  ready  for  a  cam- 
paign. In  marching  past,  the  cavalry  and  artillery  came 
first,  alternating,  then  the  engineers,  then  infantry.  They 
marched  by  divisions,  company  officers  on  the  flanks ; 
only  mounted  officers  saluted,  and  I  noticed  that  the 
General  returned  the  salute  of  each,  but  did  not  salute 
the  colors  as  every  other  officer  in  the  group  did.  The 
Highlanders  did  the  best  marching.  I  have  seen  as  good 
in  America.  The  bands  of  each  brigade  were  massed  in 
one,  which  stood  opposite  us  while  its  brigade  passed, 
and,  as  you  can  imagine,  made  great  music.  The  cavalry 
band,  which  merely  fell  back  a  little  while  the  infantry 
was  passing,  now  came  forward,  as  the  cavalry  was  to 
pass  again  at  trot.  This  was  very  good,  the  horses  ac- 
tually keeping  step  with  the  quick  staccato  movement. 
The  saddles  of  the  hussars  and  the  harnesses  of  the  ar- 
tillery were  beautiful  to  behold,  the  chains  of  steel  were 
burnished  so  that  they  looked  like  silver.  The  guns 
were  "  browned  "  breach-loading  Armstrong,  three-inch. 
The  pontoons  and  wagons  went  by,  also,  at  trot,  their 
equipments  as  perfect  and  the  uniforms  of  the  drivers 
as  handsome  as  in  the  artillery.  It  was  something  that 
I  wished  many  times  that  you  were  by  my  side  to  see 
with  me.  The  General  now  gave  his  brigadiers  and 
chiefs  of  artillery  and  cavalry  a  general  idea  of  what  he 
wanted  done,  and  then,  telling  us  how  we  could  best  see 
the  movements,  left  us  in  charge  of  the  provost  marshal, 
who  had  a  guard  to  keep  spectatois  from  interfering 
with  the  troops.  Sir  James's  carriage,  with  our  party, 
was  inside  this  guard,  and  privileged  to  move  about  at 
will,  so  as  not  to  be  in  the  way  of  the  troops.  If  I  had 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    169 

known  how  it  was  to  be,  I  should  have  gone  prepared 
to  ride,  as  the  General  had  a  horse  ready  for  me.  But 
we  saw  very  well  from  the  carriage.  Front  was  changed 
to  the  rear,  the  cavalry  sent  off  to  the  left  to  harass  the 
flank  of  the  enemy,  a  heavy  skirmish  line  sent  forward 
which  opened  fire  at  once,  advancing  in  beautiful  order, 
taking  the  different  crests,  which  were  quickly  capped 
with  artillery,  opening  as  soon  as  it  was  in  position,  the 
first  line  and  supports  moving  up,  keeping  their  dis- 
tances well,  now  moving  to  the  right  or  left  as  imagined 
necessity  required. 

It  was  all  so  natural  and  so  real,  that  I  expected  every 
minute  to  hear  a  bullet  whiz  by  my  ear,  or  a  shell  go 
screeching  over  my  head.  I  saw  one  flaw,  which  of 
course  I  held  my  tongue  about  (but  which  the  General 
himself  spoke  about  and  condemned  afterwards)  ;  the 
pontoons  were  sent  forward,  ready  to  throw  across  a 
canal  that  intersects  the  field,  and  they  were  right  up 
with  the  skirmish  line  without  any  support,  and  being 
very  large  and  heavy  and  conspicuous,  they  would  have 
been  an  easy  mark  for  a  good  gunner,  or  have  fallen  an 
easy  prey  to '  a  determined  dash  of  cavalry,  which  could 
easily  have  broken  through  the  skirmish  line.  The 
pontoons  are  unlike  ours,  —  open  wooden  boats,  —  but  are 
cylindrical  buoys,  about  twenty  feet  long  and  four  feet 
diameter,  on  which  the  timbers  are  laid,  and  being  made 
of  iron,  air-tight,  would  be  transformed  into  pepper-boxes 
by  a  clever  gunner  in  no  time  in  such  an  open  country 
as  that.  However,  the  skirmishers  cleared  the  way,  and 
the  pontoons  were  got  into  the  water  in  safety,  and  the 
bridge  very  quickly  laid,  over  which  part  of  the  infantry 
passed ;  the  rest,  and  the  artillery,  which  was  all  this  time 


170    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

firing  over  our  heads  from  the  crests  in  our  rear,  crossed 
by  a  stone  bridge  farther  to  the  right,  the  cavalry  by 
one  on  the  left.  We  went  over  the  pontoon,  -which  was 
very  solid,  sending  the  carriage  around  by  the  stone 
bridge  on  account  of  the  horses.  It  took  them  about 
twenty-five  minutes,  I  should  think,  to  get  the  bridge 
ready  for  troops.  The  enemy  (?)  now  was  in  full  re- 
treat, and  a  general  advance  was  made,  while  the  cavalry 
charged  from  the  flank. 

We  drove  around  through  the  barracks,  which  were 
the  picture  of  neatness,  back  to  Sir  James's  to  lunch. 
Lady  Scarlett  we  found  a  nice,  dignified  old  lady.  We 
also  found  that  after  an  early  breakfast  and  a  long  morn- 
ing, we  were  quite  ready  for  the  substantial  lunch  to 
which  I  presently  handed  in  "  my  lady."  After  lunch,  Sir 
James  spoke  of  the  mistake  of  having  those  pontoons  in 
Buch  an  exposed  position,  and  I  was  pleased  to  find  that 
I  had  seen  it.  He  said  I  must  go  down  there  again  in 
the  spring,  when  he  will  have  twice  as  many  troops,  and 
I  shall  only  be  too  glad  to  do  so.  They  were  all  very 
cordial  and  kind,  and  I  don't  remember  a  more  enjoya- 
ble day.  It  only  needed  an  enemy  and  ball  cartridges, 
without  the  lunch  and  ladies,  to  make  it  like  many  dis- 
agreeable ones  that  we  have  seen.  We  had  to  go  back 
to  London  to  take  the  Brighton  train,  and  got  here  very 
comfortably. 

December  15.  Yesterday  we  walked  for  an  hour  and 
a  half  on  the  parade,  and  drove  in  the  afternoon.  It  is 
very  crowded  and  gay  here,  and  you  see  all  the  swell 
turnouts. 

But  I  must  cut  this  short,  or  you  will  be  bored. 
Thanks  for  your  nice  letter,  received  last  week.  I  am 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    171 

ielighted  to  know  that  you  are  so  nicely  "  fixed  "  for 
the  winter.  Agnes  sends  love  to  your  wife,  and  says 
your  description  of  your  cozy  housekeeping  just  makes 
us  want  to  go  and  do  likewise.  Write  me  when  you 
have  time.  Letters  from  home  are  a  great  treat,  and 
impatiently  looked  for  from  week  to  week. 

With  a  merry  Christmas  and  happy  New  Year,  and 
with  much  love  from  both  to  both,  ever  yours, 

FRANK  B. 

We  shall  be  in  Paris  by  New  Tear's. 

He  enjoyed  himself  in  Paris,  but  his  leg  was 
painful.  Theatre-lover  as  he  was,  he  was  singu- 
larly little  pleased  by  the  French  theatre.  On 
the  other  hand,  he  was  much  impressed  and 
touched  by  the  celebration  of  Mass  in  the  Chapel 
of  the  Invalides. 

It  was  the  most  grand  and  impressive  thing  I  ever 
Baw  or  heard.  To  sit  under  those  old  battle- stained 
flags  and  think  of  all  the  scenes  they  had  been  in, 
of  the  blood  that  had  been  shed  around  them,  and 
then  to  listen  to  this  splendid  music  from  the  Guides' 
band,  was  more  than  I  could  stand.  The  associations 
crowded  upon  me  in  a  flood.  Martial  music  always 
affects  me,  but  here  to  sit  among  the  old  heroes  of  the 
first  empire,  under  the  very  flags  they  had  fought  over 
and  won,  under  the  same  roof  where  lie  the  ashes  of 
emperor  and  leader,  was  to  me  intoxicating,  overpow- 
ering, and  I  cried  like  a  child.  It  was  foolish  and 
weak  and  sentimental,  I  suppose,  but  I  could  not  help 


172    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

it.  It  is  the  same  sentimentality  that  makes  me  want 
to  shout  "  Vive  1'Empereur "  every  time  I  go  through 
the  Place  Vendome. 

They  went  to  Marseilles  and  Nice,  and  thence 
drove  along  the  Corniche  to  Genoa.  On  the  19th 
of  January,  1866,  he  is  on  Italian  soil,  and  he 
writes :  — 

These  Italian  soldiers  that  we  see  now  do  not  look 
BO  trim  and  clean  and  dandy-like  as  the  gallant  little 
Frenchmen.  They  would  do  just  as  good  work,  per- 
haps, but  there  is  a  good  deal  in  style. 

His  first  impressions  of  Italian  scenery  are  thus 
recorded :  — 

Keeping  through  Bracco  to  the  pass  of  Velva,  or  the 
Col,  we  had  a  view  more  extensive  than  any  I  had  ever 
seen.  Looking  across  a  small  bay  and  over  a  high  hill, 
we  could  see  the  blue  waters  of  the  Mediterranean  to- 
wards Genoa,  while  beyond  all  that  were  the  beautiful 
Alps,  covered  with  snow,  which  we  had  kept  in  sight 
from  Nice.  It  was  a  very  beautiful  picture,  and  we  shut 
it  out,  as  we  entered  the  pass,  regretfully.  But  regret 
gave  way  to  surprise  when,  turning  from  the  view  we 
had  left,  we  looked  forward  again,  and  there,  overlook- 
ing from  our  high  position  miles  and  miles  of  mountains 
and  valleys,  the  eyes  rested  at  length  on  that  grand  bank 
of  white  clouds  rolling  up  from  the  horizon.  That 
grand  bank  of  clouds  is  an  eternal  one,  and  those  glo- 
tious  snow-covered  mountains,  tinged  to  purple  in  the 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    173 

Blanting  sunlight,  are  the  Apennines  of  Bologna,  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  away. 

By  Pisa  they  went  to  Florence,  where  he  was 
treated  with  distinction  by  the  Minister  of  the 
United  States,  the  accomplished  scholar  and  gen- 
tleman who  does  so  much  to  sustain  the  credit  of 
American  diplomacy  abroad.  The  growing  ten- 
dency of  his  mind  and  heart  towards  a  deep  inter- 
est in  religious  matters  was  shown  by  the  regular- 
ity with  which,  in  these  continental  wanderings, 
he  found  a  Protestant  church  to  which  to  go  on 
Sunday. 

"  BELLA  FIRENZE," 
HOTEL  DE  LA  GRANDE  BRETAGNK,  January  29,  18G6. 

Beautiful  Florence,  it  really  is,  dear  Frank.  I  like 
it  immensely.  We  have  been  here  three  days,  and  have 
made  good  progress  in  sight-seeing.  That  is,  in  our 
comfortable  way.  I  do  not  believe  in  making  a  bore  of 
it,  and  I  don't  intend  to  work  any  harder  over  here  than 
I  should  if  I  were  on  duty  at  home.  If  it  were  any  one 
else  but  you  to  whom  I  was  writing,  I  should,  perhaps, 
make  an  apology  for  long  silence ;  but  I  know  that  no 
such  thing  is  necessary  between  us.  I  have  received 
two  letters  from  you  since  I  wrote;  one  at  Paris,  and 
one  last  night  here.  Both  delightful ;  the  last  doubly 
so,  because  twice  as  long  as  the  first. 

We  have  been  on  the  march  most  of  the  time  sinc< 
the  last  of  December,  when  we  left  London  for  th« 
continent.  We  left  with  more  regret  than  American! 
generally  do,  I  fancy,  and  Paris  will  have  to  be  very 


174    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT 

sweet  and  seductive  to  keep  us  from  going  back  there 
early  in  the  spring. 

I  have  felt  that  you  would  see  my  letters  to  the  fam- 
ily, and  so  know  of  all  our  doings,  and  latterly  I  have 
felt  that  there  was  so  much  to  tell  you,  that  I  did  not 
know  where  to  begin.  I  am  salting  down  a  goodly  lot 
of  food  for  "  talk,"  either  at  your  fireside  or  mine,  for  the 
next  few  years,  and  I  think  of  that  so  often  when  there 
are  so  many  things  that  I  cannot  write  about. 

To  bring  things  down  to  this  point  from  Paris :  "We 
spent  a  week  there.  New  Year's  was  very  gay.  Every- 
body in  the  streets.  The  Boulevards  lined  with  those 
little  booths  or  shops  for  the  sale  of  every  variety  of 
"  top  and  whistle."  Everybody  in  the  streets  good-na- 
tured and  happy. 

The  politeness  and  kindly  feeling  for  each  other 
among  the  lowest  classes  is  very  striking.  I  could  not 
help  noticing,  for  example,  on  New  Year's  morning, 
there  was  a  blind  man  opposite  our  windows  in  the  Rue 
de  la  Paix,  and  while  the  well-dressed  and  upper  classes 
passed  him  by  with  unconcern,  only  one  now  and  then 
stopping  to  drop  something  in  his  hat,  not  a  single  poor 
person  passed  that  way  without  bestowing  his  or  her 
mite  from  their  own  scanty  store,  —  the  woman  with 
the  big  load  on  her  head  balancing  it  with  one  hand 
while  with  the  other  she  hunts  in  the  ragged  pocket  for 
a  copper  sou ;  the  porter,  hurrying  by,  sets  down  his 
load  and  drops  into  the  hat  a  coin,  with  a  kindly  word  of 
greeting  to  its  owner.  It  was  very  touching,  and  I  have 
since  seen  more  of  the  same  traits. 

Our  quarters  were  very  good  at  the  Hotel  Westmin- 
ster, near  the  Tuileries  and  Boulevards,  in  sight  of  La 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    175 

Place  Vendome  with  its  beautiful  column.  Around  the 
foot  of  this  shaft,  you  know,  is  an  iron  fence,  and  there 
were  the  numberless  wreaths  of  immortelles  hanging  on 
the  paling,  placed  there  by  the  old  soldiers  of  the  Em- 
pire and  constantly  renewed  and  never  removed  except 
by  time.  On  the  front  of  the  pedestal  are  more  costly 
and  elaborate  ones,  but  not  nearly  so  significant  as  those 
simple  offerings  by  humbler  hands. 

I  did  not  do  anything  in  the  way  of  sight-seeing,  but 
devoted  myself  to  getting  a  good  idea  of  the  city,  and 
now  I  can  take  you  to  any  part.  It  is  a  very  easy  city 
to  learn, —  very  different  in  that  respect  from  London, 
which  I  believe  is  worse  than  Boston  to  a  stranger.  I 
was  there  so  long  that  I  believe  I  know  it  pretty  well 
now. 

"VVe  did  the  paintings  in  the  Louvre  in  one  day,  and  I 
was  disappointed  at  not  finding  any  of  Vernet's  battle- 
pieces  there.  They  are  all  at  Versailles,  I  believe. 

The  Bois  de  Boulogne  is  the  resort  in  the  afternoon. 
It  does  not  compare  with  the  Central  Park  in  the  way 
of  artificial  nature.  There  is  more  wood  and  water, 
nothing  else.  Some  of  the  woody  drives,  and  especially 
rides  (Agnes  and  I  rode  one  day),  are  very  beautiful. 
You  see  many  swell  turnouts,  the  best  and  most  elegant 
belonging  to  the  demi-monde.  These  women,  Frank,  are 
the  leaders  in  the  way  of  taste  and  style,  and  have  such 
a  command  of  money  that  ladies  cannot  vie  with  them. 
They  set  the  fashions  for  the  world. 

Agnes  thinks  that  I  wrote  you  from  Paris,  but  I 
have  not  any  record  of  it  on  my  log-book.  It  seems, 
though,  as  if  I  must  have  told  you  about  going  to  the 
Hotel  des  Invalides.  I  know  I  wrote  Ben  a  letter  from 


176    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Paris,  and  it  may  be  that  I  am  thinking  of  that.  I  shall 
have  to  tell  you  about  that  face  to  face,  —  nothing  else 
will  satisfy  me.  The  tomb  of  the  Emperor  is  very  mag- 
nificent, but  not  nearly  so  impressive  as  I  expected. 

I  must  leave  Paris  or  I  shall  never  get  through.  The 
journey  to  Marseilles  and  Nice  was  a  long  one.  Mar- 
seilles we  found  rather  an  interesting  city.  The  view 
from  the  hill  overhanging  the  town,  taking  in  the  port 
and  bay,  was  very  fine.  In  the  bay  is  the  Chateau  d'lf, 
where  Monte  Cristo  was  confined,  you  know.  I  found  it 
very  hard  to  realize  that  that  blue  water  was  the  Medi- 
terranean. I  could  have  stood  there  for  hours  recalling 
all  the  memories  and  associations  that  the  sight  of  its 
beautiful  waters  stirred  up.  I  only  wish  I  could  remem- 
ber all  that  I  have  ever  known,  or  that  you  were  with 
me,  with  your  faithful  memory  and  large  knowledge  of 
past  times,  to  make  these  scenes  doubly  interesting. 

Only  one  night  at  Marseilles.  Then  on  to  Nice 
through  Toulon  with  its  harbor  and  forts  and  galleys, 
through  miles  and  miles  of  everlasting  olive  orchards, 
the  hills  terraced  to  the  top,  looking  like  some  giant's 
stairway  to  the  upper  regions.  Very  few  grapes,  — now 
and  then  a  vineyard.  At  Nice  we  stayed  a  week,  en- 
joying much  the  warm  sunshine  and  soft  air  after  the 
fogs  of  London  and  rain  of  Paris.  The  drives  about 
Nice  were  perfectly  lovely,  through  groves  of  oranges 
and  hedges  of  roses  in  full  bloom.  The  drive  to  Villa- 
franca  along  the  sea  on  the  side  of  the  cliff,  we  thought 
most  of,  but  since  then  we  have  seen  so  much  finer  and 
bolder  scenery  that  it  is  not  worth  telling  you  at  this 
late  time  of  our  impressions  then.  There  were  many 
Ajnericans  and  more  English  at  Nice,  and  it  must  be  a 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    177 

good  place  for  invalids.  No  one  could  be  long  ill  in 
such  a  delicious  climate.  From  Nice  to  Genoa  was  by 
vetturino,  taking  four  days  and  three  nights,  starting  in 
the  morning  at  about  eight  or  nine,  halting  for  lunch, 
and  getting  into  good  quarters  at  sundown,  finding  each 
day  fires  on  the  hearths,  the  table  spread,  and  a  good 
dinner  awaiting  us.  You  have  no  idea  of  the  comfort  of 
having  a  good  courier.  You  have  all  the  pleasure  of 
travelling  without  any  of  its  annoyances.  You  get  up 
in  the  morning,  and,  after  a  good  breakfast,  go  down  and 
get  into  your  comfortable  carriage  with  four  smart  horses, 
find  a  lunch  waiting  at  your  halting-place,  and  at  sunset 
are  shown  into  your  parlor  where  the  table  is  ready  and 
in  your  room  your  portmanteau  unlocked  and  open, 
everything  at  your  hand.  It  is  the  poetry  of  travel. 
We  are  fortunate  in  having  a  very  good  man.  We  give 
him  the  purse,  and  he  does  all  the  rest.  Of  course  I 
suppose  he  makes  his  little  perquisites,  but  I  believe  it  is 
really  cheaper  in  the  end,  for  you  cannot  be  imposed 
upon  as  a  stranger,  and  even  if  it  were  more  expensive, 
it  makes  up  for  it  double  in  the  amount  of  solid  com- 
fort. 

I  can't  tell  you  much  now  about  the  journey  from 
Nice  to  Genoa.  It  was  too  grand.  Sometimes  two 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  at  others  on  its  level,  with 
as  many  feet  of  perpendicular  rock  towering  above  us. 
It  is  hard  to  say  which  is  the  grandest. 

We  were  at  Genoa  three  or  four  days  in  one  of  the 
old  ducal  palaces,  Palazzo  del  Sala.  The  rooms  were 
spacious,  so  much  so  that  you  had  to  take  a  long  walk 
to  pick  up  your  various  things  ;  and  so  high  that  you  felt 
fts  if  you  were  out  doors.  The  walls  and  ceilings  cov- 
12 


178    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

ered  with  frescoes.  There  was  nothing  of  cosy  comfort 
in  such  a  place. 

Genoa  is  very  strong ;  the  walls  of  the  town  are  very 
well  placed  and  in  perfect  preservation,  and  outside  of 
these,  on  the  surrounding  heights,  is  a  chain  of  immense 
forts,  commanding  everything.  It  would  take  an  army 
to  garrison  the  place,  but  a  larger  one  to  invest  it,  and 
with  its  port  unblockaded,  it  could  not  be  taken.  It  is 
a  queer  old  town. 

The  women  wear  for  bonnets  white  lace  or  tarlatan 
veils,  pinned  over  the  head  and  falling  around  the  shoul- 
ders. With  a  pretty  face  it  is  very  becoming;  but 
pretty  faces  are  what  you  do  not  see  often  in  Italy. 

The  Italian  troops  are  the  best-looking  of  the  male 
population.  The  little  Zouaves  are  very  nobby,  with 
dark  blue  trousers,  and  tunic  tight  around  the  waist,  the 
skirt  about  four  inches  below  the  belt,  and  the  hat  with 
a  round  top  and  wide  flat  brim  with  the  most  ample  and 
graceful  mass  of  waving  black  cock's  plumes.  Aiguil- 
lettes  (how  do  you  spell  that  ?)  of  dark  green  braid  on 
the  breast,  matching  the  shade  of  the  feathers. 

They  are  the  tidiest,  trimmest  little  fighting-men  I 
have  seen,  —  "  bar  nothing."  The  officers,  for  the  most 
part,  are  good-looking  men,  and  the  discipline  seems  to 
be  very  perfect.  I  have  seen  no  larger  body  than  a  reg- 
iment together. 

The  journey  from  Genoa  to  Spezzia,  which  took  two 
days,  was  even  more  glorious  than  the  first ;  the  view  at 
ihe  pass  of  Velva,  where  you  are  twenty-one  hundred 
feet  above  the  sea,  into  which  you  could  almost  throw  a 
etone,  with  the  maritime  Alps  behind  you,  away  beyond 
Genoa  and  Nice,  and  before  you,  beyond  the  tops  of  in- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    179 

tervening  ranges,  more  than  a  hundred  miles  away,  white 
with  eternal  snow,  the  Apennines,  towards  Bologna,  — 
it  was  perfectly  grand,  and  we  hated  to  begin  the  descent 
which  gradually  sunk  those  white  peaks,  with  the  rich 
colors  of  the  sunlight  on  them,  behind  these  nearer  and 
smaller  hills.  As  we  reached  the  heights  above  Spez- 
zia,  we  had  a  glimpse  of  them  again,  just  as  they  were 
tinged  with  purple  at  sunset. 

From  Spezzia  we  came  by  rail  to  Pisa,  stopping  only 
a  few  hours  for  lunch,  and  a  visit  to  the  cathedral,  tower, 
etc.,  and  a  drive  to  the  Cascine.  The  tower  disappoints 
you  as  you  see  it  from  the  cars  on  entering  the  walls  ; 
but  when  you  go  to  it,  your  disappointment  is  turned  to 
surprise  and  wonder.  The  cathedral  is  by  far  the  most 
superb  that  we  have  seen,  and  differs  from  the  many  in 
being  Byzantine  instead  of  Gothic.  One  of  the  altars, 
a  gift  of  the  Medicis,  is  of  solid  silver,  most  beautifully 
wrought.  Many  of  the  columns  of  the  church  are  an- 
tique, and  brought  from  Greece  and  Rome.  A  few  good 
pictures.  The  Battisterio  has  the  handsomest  pulpit  in 
the  world. 

"We  reached  Florence  on  Friday  evening,  and  shall 
leave  for  Rome  Friday  morning,  via  Leghorn  and  Civita 
Vecchia.  We  have  the  best  rooms  in  Rome,  on  the 
Corso,  the  very  windows  of  which  command  £100  apiece 
sometimes  during  the  carnival. 

Florence  is  so  rich  in  objects  of  interest  and  beauty, 
that  a  person  ought  to  be  here  six  weeks  to  see  what  he 
has  to  (and  does  n't)  in  as  many  days.  The  sculpture 
Vere  is  my  greatest  pleasure.  Michael  Angelo's  was 
the  master-hand,  and  you  recognize  it  at  once.  The 
Pitti  and  Uffizi  palaces  contain  the  finest  collections  of 


180    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

paintings  in  the  world.  I  am  not  very  fond  of  old  paint- 
ings, but  some  of  Murillo's  and  Raphael's  and  Andrea 
del  Sarto's  and  Titian's  are  very  persuasive.  I  never 
can  write  you  about  all  these  things,  so  you  must  wait 
till  we  have  a  pow-wow. 

I  found  on  my  arrival  here  a  very  kind  invitation  from 
Garibaldi  to  visit  him  at  Caprera.  I  look  forward  to 
that  with  more  pleasure  than  anything  else.  "We  shall 
not  go  till  our  return  from  Naples,  in  about  three  weeks 
from  now.  He  is  very  popular  here  in  Italy,  much  more 
so  than  Victor  Emmanuel,  who,  I  am  surprised  to  find, 
is  not  much  liked.  As  one  of  these  people  said  the 
other  day  in  his  excitement,  "  Why,  if  Garibaldi  should 
land  at  Leghorn  or  Naples  and  announce  himself  king 
of  Italy,  the  very  paving-stones  would  rise  up  and  shout 
in  his  favor."  But  he  is  too  good  and  wise  to  do  any- 
thing of  the  sort.  I  think  he  has  all  the  more  honor  for 
retiring  to  his  island  home.  The  island  is  near  Sardinia, 
about  twelve  hours'  sail  from  Leghorn,  and  by  the  time 
you  get  this  I  shall  be  there  or  on  my  way. 

The  American  minister  called  again  yesterday,  and 
was  sorry  to  hear  that  I  was  to  leave  on  Friday,  as  he 
wished  to  give  me  a  dinner  on  that  day,  and  had  already 
sent  out  some  invitations.  I  am  sorry,  because  he  has 
been  very  civil.  Bigelow  Lawrence,  consul-general,  has 
also  sent  passes  to  various  places  of  interest. 

I  shall  not  have  time  to  write  the  family  this  week, 
and  shall  wait  till  we  get  to  Rome.  We  found  nice  long 
Betters  from  them  here.  Anna's  was  a  perfect  treat,  and 
I  wish  she  would  do  the  same  every  week.  I  am  glad 
mother  is  better.  Will  you  please  let  them  know  as 
much  as  you  choose  of  what  I  have  written  you,  and  say 
our  next  will  be  from  Rome. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    181 

With  much  love  to  you  and  yours,  and  to  all  who  love 
as,  from  Agnes  and  myself,  I  am 

Yours,         FRANK. 

They  went  by  sea  from  Leghorn  to  Civita  Vec- 
chia,  and  thence  to  Rome,  where  they  had  an 
apartment  on  the  Corso,  and 'saw  the  Carnival  in 
all  its  brilliancy.  On  the  8th  of  February  he 
writes :  — 

I  find  that  the  girl  I  have  been  exchanging  confetti 
and  bouquets  with  these  last  two  days  is  the  Queen  of 
Naples.  Caught  a  bunch  of  violets  this  afternoon.  She 
is  very  pretty. 

Again,  on  February  12th  :  — 

Exchanged  bouquets  with  the  Queen  again.  She  gave 
me  a  little  beauty,  of  her  own  colors. 

On  the  17th  of  February  he  notes  that  his  foot 
(his  lost  foot)  is  very  painful.  On  the  22d,  he 
was  present  at  the  breakfast  of  Americans  in 
Rome,  upon  the  occasion  of  the  anniversary  of 
the  birthday  of  Washington,  and  made  a  speech, 
of  which  he  says  simply  :  — 

People  congratulated  me  on  my  speech,  which  I  think 
was  pretty  poor. 

From  Rome  they  went  to  Naples,  and  visited 
Pompeii,  Sorrento,  and  Capri. 

Many  years  before,  when  General  Bartlett  was 
a  boy,  Garibaldi  had  come  to  Boston  as  master  of 


182    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

an  Italian  vessel  consigned  to  Mr.  Bartlett,  the 
General's  father,  and  had  then  given  him  a  walk- 
ing-stick. As  the  boy  grew  up,  and  Garibaldi  be- 
came famous,  his  career  was  watched  with  lively 
interest  by  the  young  American,  and  when  he 
went  to  Italy,  still  a  young  man,  but  a  crippled 
general  officer  of  large  experience,  he  made  his 
presence  known  to  Garibaldi,  and  was  by  him 
invited  to  visit  him  at  his  home  in  the  Island  of 
Caprera.  As  the  voyage  was  likely  to  be  a  rough 
one,  he  left  his  wife  with  her  family  in  Italy,  and 
crossed  to  the  island  alone.  The  accounts  of  his 
visit,  which  he  wrote  in  his  journal  and  in  a  letter 
to  his  mother,  are  both  so  interesting  that  both 
are  given,  though  each  is,  to  a  considerable  degree, 
a  repetition  of  the  other. 

JOURNAL. —  March  11,  1866.  The  General  was  out 
in  the  field  somewhere:  had  not  expected  me  so  soon, 
but  came  soon,  and  I  went  out  to  meet  him.  He  came 
forward  with  outstretched  hands,  his  face  beaming  with 
the  same  bright,  kindly  smile  that  I  had  carried  in  my 
memory  for  thirteen  years.  His  costume  was,  as  usual, 
a  poncho  of  woollen  stuff  over  the  red  shirt,  with  the 
handkerchief  tied  loosely  around  his  neck  and  hanging 
down  his  back.  I  had  grown  from  the  boy  to  the  man 
in  those  thirteen  years,  and  he  would  hardly  have  re- 
membered my  face  elsewhere.  He  seemed  very  glad  to 
see  me,  and  asked  for  all  the  family  at  home,  and  why  I 
had  not  brought  my  wife.  He  had  expected  her,  and 
had  everything  ready  for  her.  He  remembered  the  cane 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    183 

that  he  had  given  me  so  many  years  before,  and  seemed 
very  much  pleased  to  think  I  had  kept  it.  He  sent  for 
it  at  dinner  to  show  to  the  table,  and  told  the  story  of  it 
to  the  guests.  After  I  was  dressed  and  rested  a  little,  he 
came  for  me  to  take  a  walk,  and  we  went  down  toward 
the  shore,  where  in  a  little  bay  the  yacht  lay.  He  asked 
about  America ;  is  much  interested  in  the  Mexican 
question ;  says  Napoleon  cannot  stay  there.  Showed 
me  the  different  shrubs,  —  all  on  the  island  are  aromatic. 
The  lavender  is  very  strong  and  fragrant.  The  wild 
myrtle,  and  olive,  and  other  names.  He  took  me  to  see 
his  vines  and  orangery,  and  cut  some  of  the  ripe  fruit  to 
give  me.  Can  this  simple  man,  whose  whole  interest 
seems  to  be  centered  in  his  vine  and  fig-tree,  be  the  man 
who  has  given  kingdom  and  power  to  a  king,  and 
who  will  yet  give  freedom  and  unity  to  a  nation  ?  .  .  .  . 
Dinner  at  one.  The  dishes  are  regular  Italian  ones.  A 
Boup,  thick  with  rice  or  maccaroni ;  a  stew,  with  olives 
cooked  in  it,  figs,  oranges,  cheese,  and  wine  from  the 
island.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  table  are  some  of  the 
General's  retainers,  a  rough  set  in  the  exterior,  but 
true  of  heart,  —  men  who  would  go  to  the  death  for  the 
General.  Then  further  up  are  the  two  Italians  and  the 
Piedmontese,  then  Menotti  and  Mrs.  Chambers.  On 
our  side,  Colonel  Chambers,  then  Theresa,  then  myself, 
while  at  the  head  sits  the  old  hero,  presiding  over  the 
^ueer  assembly  with  the  grace  and  dignity  of  a  king.  I 
never  knew  what  a  noble  head  and  face  the  man  has 
before.  I  can  hardly  keep  my  eyes  off  him.  His  head 

looks  as  if  it  were  made  to  wear  a  crown When 

and  where  shall  I  see  the  General  again  next?     Power- 
ful at  Rome,  capital  of  a  united  Italy,  I  trust. 


184    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

CAPRERA,  March  12,  1866. 

"Well,  here  I  am  "  at  home  "  in  Garibaldi's  house. 
When  I  woke  up  on  Sunday  morning,  after  being  tor- 
mented all  night  long,  we  had  just  come  to  anchor  in 
the  snug  little  harbor  of  Maddalena.  I  went  ashore  di- 
rectly, and  found  the  whole  population  of  the  town  on 
the  shore  to  receive  us.  The  arrival  of  the  boat  is  the 
event  of  the  week,  of  course.  There  was  a  Custom 
House,  here  as  elsewhere,  and  my  poor  little  valise  had 
to  go  and  be  opened.  If  it  had  been  at  the  other  end 
of  the  town  it  was  only  a  matter  of  a  few  steps,  but  it 
was  nearer.  From  the  custom  house  I  went  towards 
the  hotel  (?),  followed  by  a  small  boy  under  the  valise. 
I  had  n't  gone  far  when  I  was  met  by  a  great,  fine-look- 
ing fellow,  who  asked  me  in  broken  English  if  that  were 
General  Bartlett.  I  knew  it  must  be  Menotti,  the  Gen- 
eral's eldest  son,  for  I  had  heard  he  was  on  the  island. 
He  said  his  father  was  expecting  me  at  Caprera.  He 
does  n't  talk  any  English,  but  we  got  on  in  French.  We 
went  to  the  hotel,  wherein  the  grand  room  was  about 
twelve  by  seven,  and  seemed  to  be  the  kitchen,  sitting, 
dining,  and  sleeping-room.  I  took  my  cup  of  coffee  and 
crust  of  bread,  and  then  went  to  the  boat,  where  there 
were  three  men  to  pull  me  over  to  the  island.  Menotti 
stayed  to  bring  the  mail.  It  is  about  three  miles  from 
Maddalena  to  Caprera,  and  the  channel  winds  among 
the  islands  and  rocks  very  prettily.  It  was  a  walk  of 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  little  cove  where  we 
landed,  up  to  the  house.  The  island  looks  exactly  like 
one  of  the  Isles  of  Shoals,  all  rocks,  but  here  and  there 
on  the  way  up  to  the  house  I  saw  several  good  fields, 
that  had  been  as  it  were  hewn  out  of  the  rock.  The 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    185 

house  is  white,  and  one  part  of  two  stories,  the  last  ad- 
dition. The  General  was  not  in  when  I  got  there,  but  I 
was  shown  into  the  dining-room,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
he  came  from  one  of  his  fields.  I  went  out  to  meet  him, 
and  he  stretched  out  his  hands,  and  the  welcome  that 
he  gave  me  was  warm  and  kind.  He  seemed  very  glad 
to  see  me,  asked  for  all  the  family,  and  laughed  heartily 
when  I  recalled  Fanny's  speech  to  him.  I  talked  with 
him  awhile,  and  then  he  took  me  to  my  room.  He  was 
very  sorry  Agnes  did  not  come  ;  he  had  a  room  next  to 
mine  ready  for  her.  I  found  I  had  Menotti's  room.  It 
is  on  the  ground  floor,  in  the  newest  part  of  the  house. 
Across  the  entry  are  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Chambers,  some 
English  friends  of  the  General.  Above  are  Theresa 
(Madame  Canzio),  his  daughter,  and  her  children,  etc. 
The  General's  room  is  in  the  other  part,  just  across  this 
little  garden.  After  I  was  dressed  and  rested  a  little, 
he  came  for  me  to  go  to  walk  with  him,  and  we  went 
down  towards  the  cove  where  the  yacht  lies.  He  talked 
about  America  and  the  war.  He  believed,  and  told  the 
Italians  from  the  beginning,  that  there  was  only  one 
question  in  the  world  and  that  was  the  American  ques- 
tion. It  was  as  important  to  them  as  it  was  to  the 
Americans  themselves.  That  if  the  North  did  not  suc- 
ceed, liberty  would  be  put  back  for  all  the  world  a  hun- 
dred years.  That  America  must  not  allow  Napoleon  to 
extend  his  despotism  by  putting  Maximilian  in  Mexico. 
That  the  Italians  were  waiting  for  him  to  be  over- 
thrown there,  etc.,  etc.  We  met  Colonel  and  Mrs. 
Chambers.  They  seem  to  be  very  decent  people,  and 
ire  devoted  to  the  General.  He  has  written  a  history  of 
*  Garibaldi  and  Italian  Unity,"  of  which  he  has  given 


186    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

me  a  copy.  It  was  published  in  England,  just  before 
Garibaldi  went  there,  and  contains  facts  that  I  don't  be- 
lieve are  known  in  America. 

He  took  us  back  through  his  orange  orchard  and 
vineyard.  Each  tree  has  to  be  walled  around  with  a 
screen  of  brush  to  guard  it  from  the  terrible  winds  that 
sweep  the  island  ;  but  they  were  in  good  condition,  full 
of  fruit  and  blossoms.  He  took  the  gardener's  knife, 
which  hangs  at  his  side  by  a  little  chain,  and  cut  some 
of  the  fruit  for  me.  It  was  hard  to  believe  that  this 
noble-looking  man,  whose  chief  care  seemed  to  be  his 
vines  and  trees,  was  the  one  who,  as  "dictator  of  the 
two  Sicilies,"  had  given  kingdoms  to  a  king.  He 
showed  me  the  various  shrubs  on  the  island.  They  are 
all  aromatic.  At  about  one  o'clock  the  boat  arrived 
from  Maddalena,  with  Menotti  and  three  visitors  who 
had  come  in  the  same  steamer  with  me,  all  Italians ;  two 
are  engineers  who  are  to  see  about  sinking  an  artesian 
well  here ;  the  other,  a  Piedmontese,  we  think  is  a  spy. 
It  is  not  unusual,  —  somebody  or  other  comes  by  every 
boat.  Dinner  is  ready,  and  when  I  went  in  I  found  the 
room  full,  the  General  at  the  head,  standing  till  I  should 
come.  The  General  put  me  on  his  left,  Mrs.  Chambers 
on  his  right,  and  then  told  the  others  to  be  seated. 
There  are  in  all  at  the  table  about  fifteen,  and  it  is  a 
regular  Italian  meal,  —  soup,  then  a  stew  of  some  kind  of 
meat  with  olives  cooked  in  it,  bread  from  his  own  flour 
and  his  own  mill,  wine  from  his  own  vineyard,  oranges 
and  figs  from  his  own  trees,  cheese  from  his  own  dairy. 
This  was  the  dinner,  a  most  ample  supply  of  everything. 
The  General  would  talk  first  to  me  and  then  to  his  Ital- 
ians, and  then  interpret  what  he  had  been  saying  to 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    187 

them.  He  was  in  good  spirits,  looks  older,  of  course, 
than  we  remember  him,  but  walks  with  a  cane  very 
well.  It  is  a  queer  assembly  around  the  board  ;  the 
lower  end  do  not  go  in  much  for  dress,  and  are  a  rough- 
looking  set,  but  they  are  all  devoted  to  the  General,  who 
sits  there  in  his  usual  costume,  a  poncho  of  dark  woollen 
stuff  over  the  red  shirt,  a  small  fez  or  smoking-cap  on 
his  head  when  in  the  house,  and  presiding  over  all  with 
the  grace  and  dignity  of  a  king.  I  never  knew  before 
what  a  superb  face  he  has,  and  what  a  glorious  voice ; 
when  he  would  get  warmed  on  any  subject,  it  would 
ring  as  clear  and  sweet  as  a  bell. 

At  about  six  o'clock  there  is  supper,  and,  as  far  as  I 
can  see,  it  is  the  same  thing  repeated  that  we  have  at 
one  o'clock,  except,  instead  of  coffee  afterwards,  we  have 
tea.  We  all  sit  around  the  table  for  an  hour  after,  and 
then  the  General  rises,  bids  good-night  to  all,  and  goes 
to  his  own  room,  and  the  day  is  over.  I  pass  an  hour 
in  the  room  of  Colonel  Chambers,  and  then  to  bed.  I 
breakfast  at  nine  with  Colonel  and  Mrs.  C.  on  coffee 
and  dry  bread.  There  is  no  butter  on  the  island.  The 
island  reminds  me  constantly  of  the  Isles  of  Shoals, — • 
just  that  appearance  of  rock,  —  but  in  the  ravines,  where 
the  sun  gets  a  chance,  there  is  almost  a  tropical  vegeta- 
tion. From  the  rocks  above  the  house  there  is  a  beauti- 
ful view  of  this  group  of  islands,  and  to  the  south  Sar- 
dinia and  north  Corsica  with  its  snow-capped  hills,  which 
seem  within  rifle-shot  but  are  ninety  miles  away. 

While  he  was  in  the  midst  of  such  interesting 
scenes  and  people  abroad,  he  did  not  lose  his  in- 
serest  in  affairs  at  home,  for  at  the  same  time  we 
him  writing  to  his  mother :  — 


188    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

I  have  just  read  to-day  in  the  Paris  paper  of  the 
President's  veto  on  the  Freedmen's  Bill.  I  think  his 
reasons  are  very  just  and  wise  and  sound.  There  seems 
to  be  a  party  at  home  which  is  determined  that  we 
shan't  have  "  peace  at  any  price." 

March  15.  Florence.  We  hear  that  President  John- 
son has  made  a  speech  in  which  he  has  "  laid  out "  the 
radical  disunionists.  We  are  anxious  to  see  it.  I  think 
his  veto  on  the  Freedmen's  Bill  was  very  good.  He 
believes,  as  I  do,  that  if  a  white  man  is  not  quite  as  good 
as  a  negro,  he  is  almost,  and  therefore  ought  to  have  at 
least  an  equal  chance  with  him. 

After  his  visit  to  Caprera,  General  Bartlett  and 
his  wife  moved  northward  through  the  principal 
Italian  cities,  and  crossed  Mont  Cenis  into  Swit- 
zerland, and  thence  journeyed  on  to  Paris.  At 
Strasbourg  he  was  not  well,  and  at  Nancy  he  had 
typhoidal  symptoms,  but  in  Paris  he  felt  better 
again,  though  he  records  there  on  the  20th  April, 
"  I  have  had  a  little  touch  of  that  nasty  Naples 
fever,  but  am  all  right  again  now,  I  believe,  ex- 
cept the  pain  in  the  head." 

FEIBODRO,  April  1,  1866. 

Here  we  are  in  this  queer  old  Dutch  town,  the  first 
we  have  been  in,  Agnes  and  I.  We  separated  from  the 
family  at  Culoz,  after  coming  across  the  Alps  by  the 
Mont  Cenis. 

We  found  Geneva,  where  we  spent  Thursday  and 
Good  Friday,  a  very  quiet,  clean,  delightful  town,  with 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    189 

enticing  shops,  and  beautiful  views  of  snow-clad  moun- 
tains. 

We  found  the  most  comfortable  hotel  there  that  we 
have  had  anywhere.  Our  apartments  and  table  were 
more  like  what  you  would  make  them  at  home,  and  our 
windows  opened  on  that  lovely  lake,  with  those  snow- 
white  mountains  beyond,  and  Mont  Blanc  overlooking 
all,  when  it  was  clear. 

We  left  Geneva  with  regret  yesterday  afternoon,  and 
after  skirting  the  lake  to  Lausanne,  we  crossed  through 
a  country  that  looks  very  like  our  own,  in  hills  and  pine 
trees,  to  Fribourg. 

We  wanted  to  hear  the  great  organ,  see  the  bridges, 
and  get  away  to-day  at  noon  for  Basle,  but  it  being  a 
grand  fete  day  —  Easter  —  they  are  not  allowed  to  ex- 
hibit the  first,  and  it  being  very  rainy  we  could  not  see 
to  any  advantage  the  second  ;  so  here  we  have  to  stay 
till  to-morrow  at  noon.  We  went  to  the  cathedral  for 
Mass,  this  morning,  however,  and  heard  the  best  singing 
and  music  that  we  have  found  in  any  church  in  Europe. 
The  organ  was  played  at  intervals  during  the  service, 
but  of  course  nothing  to  show  its  powers. 

The  bridges  are  very  wonderful  in  lightness  and 
height.  They  look  like  cobwebs  stretched  across  the 
chasm  two  hundred  feet  below.  They  are  very  much 
lighter  in  material  than  the  English  bridges,  or  ours  at 
Niagara.  (A  party  of  students,  just  about  as  drunk  as 
they  make  them  at  home  sometimes,  are  just  going  un- 
der our  windows,  singing  as  best  they  can  "  Ubi  sunt  o 
pocula,"  etc. 

We  shall  have  the  organ  played  for  our  especial  bene- 
fit to-morrow  morning,  take  another  look  at  the  bridges, 


190    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

if  it  does  not  rain,  and  leave  for  Basle  via  Berne.  At 
Basle  we  touch  the  Rhine.  From  there  we  go  up  to 
Strasbourg,  thence  to  Paris  through  the  Champagne 
country,  stopping,  perhaps,  at  Chalons-sur-Marne,  to  see 
the  French  camp. 

MY  DEAR  COLONEL  PALFREY, — I  want  just  to  tell 
you  that  you  were  perfectly  right  in  saying  what  you  did 
about  Frank's  French  and  Italian.  He  astonishes  me 
more  and  more  every  day  by  knowing,  intuitively,  just 
what  is  necessary  not  only  as  regards  these  "strange 
tongues,"  but  about  every  locality,  where  the  places  of 
interest  are,  which  are  worth  seeing,  and  which  may  be 
"  cut."  He  is  a  sort  of  general  guide-book  to  the  whole 
family,  and  nothing  delights  me  so  much  as  to  see  how 
father  depends  upon  Frank  for  everything.  I  have 
always  felt  it  would  be  so  if  ever  they  were  thrown 
much  together,  and  you  can  imagine  how  happy  and 
proud  I  am  to  see  that  it  is  all  coming  true.  Frank  is 
getting  quite  stout;  still  I  do  not  feel  alarmed  as  yet 
lest  he  should  grow  corpulent.  I  know  you  will  all 
think  he  looks  well  and  brown,  —  more  like  his  old  self 
as  you  remember  him  in  the  old  days  when  you  two 
were  so  inseparable.  If  Frank  gets  his  extension,  we 
shall  hope  to  be  in  London  for  next  month.  I  must  not 
encroach  on  Frank's  ground  any  longer. 

Kind  love  to  all  your  father's  family,  and  believe  me, 
sincerely  yours,  AGNES  BARTLETT. 

I  find  my  first  sheet  is  filled,  but  I  know  you  won't 
mind  the  change  in  the  writing.  I  let  Agnes  write  very 
little,  and  when  she  gets  a  vacant  half-sheet,  with  a  pen 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    191 

at  hand,  she  makes  very  quick  work  of  it  while  one's 
back  is  turned.  She  is  very  much  better  since  we  left 
Naples.  The  enervating  air  there  did  not  agree  with 
her  at  all,  and  I  was  very  glad  to  have  her  further  north. 
The  air  of  Venice  was  a  complete  change,  and  she  has 
been  a  different  creature  ever  since.  I  have  directed  my 
home  letters  lately  to  be  turned  over  to  you,  and  so  you 
know  of  our  movements  up  to  leaving  Venice,  which 
we  did  regretfully  on  the  22d.  I  think  I  should  like  a 
month  or  two  there  every  summer.  The  first  night, 
halted  inside  the  mighty  walls  of  Verona.  That  night, 
in  looking  over  the  book  in  which  I  wrote  our  names, 
and  which  was  begun  in  1818,  I  found  among  our  illus- 
trious predecessors  the  names  of  Bonaparte,  R.  C. 
Winthrop,  etc.  I  wish  you  could  have  been  at  Verona 
with  me ;  the  place  is  one  of  the  strongest  in  Europe, 
and  cannot  be  taken  except  by  a  very  long  siege.  Here 
is  the  first  square  bastion  that  was  ever  built,  and 
where  our  present  system  of  fortification  may  be  said  to 
have  been  begun.  The  old  gates  are  miracles  of  strength 
and  architecture  combined.  The  walls  command  the 
plain  in  every  direction  except  the  southeast,  I  think, 
where  the  hill  rises  which  is  crowned  by  one  of  the 
strongest  works,  the  Castel  San  Pietro. 

But  your  brother,  who  has  not  been  there,  can  prob- 
ably tell  you  more  about  it  than  I,  who  have. 

The  old  Roman  amphitheatre,  built  at  the  same  time 
with  the  Coliseum,  is  not  so  large,  but  wonderfully  pre- 
served, and  is  a  beautiful  sample  of  the  Roman  works. 
I  went  to  the  top  of  it,  and  was  repaid  by  a  beautiful 
view  of  the  town  and  works  and  the  Tyrolese  Alps  in  the 
distance.  Went  through  the  picture  gallery,  in  which 


192    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

there  were  only  two  decent  paintings,  modern  pictures, 
that  I  was  expecting  to  find  there,  done  by  a  man  named 
Rotta,  a  Venetian.  They  were  the  last  two  that  I  came 
to,  and  rewarded  me  for  wading  through  the  others.  If 
my  purse  had  been  stronger,  my  story  might  have  been 
longer,  etc. 

Came  to  Milan  that  night,  crossing  the  frontier  at  the 
Lago  di  Garda,  and  exchanging  the  stupid,  sullen,  white- 
coated  Croats  for  the  lithe,  nobby  little  Bersaglieri. 

Milan  is  more  like  one  of  our  cities,  clean,  busy,  jright. 
It  seemed  more  alive  than  Italian  cities  usually.  The 
cathedral  there  is  beyond  comparison  the  most  superb 
and  imposing  thing  in  Europe.  St.  Peter's  cannot  be- 
gin to  compare  with  it,  in  my  estimation. 

Nothing  is  so  impressive,  so  sublime,  as  those  lofty 
Gothic  arches.  You  feel  like  falling  on  your  knees  and 
saying  your  prayers.  It  was  the  first  church,  Frank, 
where  I  have  forgotten  the  cold,  forgotten  the  fatigue  of 
standing  on  the  marble  floors,  and  been  sorry  to  put  on 
my  hat  outside  the  great  cloth  doors  that  are  hung  from 
the  top  in  all  these  churches,  and,  weighing  hundreds  of 
pounds,  have  a  very  wicked  way  of  knocking  a  "heretic" 
down.  The  Arch  of  Peace,  begun  by  Napoleon,  carried 
on  by  the  Austrians,  finished  by  Victor  Emmanuel  and 
his  imperial  ally,  is  a  beautiful  structure,  with  some  very 
good  bronze  horses  on  the  top.  Between  this  and  the 
town  where  the  old  castle  stands,  is  one  of  the  best  pa- 
rade grounds  I  have  seen.  You  could  review  fifty  thou- 
sand men  there  with  ease  (if  you  had  them),  and  I  sup- 
pose that  is  a  place  where  fifty  thousand  men  would  have 
been  worth  a  good  deal,  many  times.  A  drive  on  the 
Corso,  Sunday  afternoon,  shows  you  a  great  many  fine 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    193 

turnouts,  —  the  yellow  with  powdered  coachmen  and  foot- 
men prevailing. 

From  Milan  to  Turin  gives  you  some  beautiful  views 
of  the  Alps,  and  Monte  Rosa,  —  as  it  is  well  named,  — 
as  the  sun  was  setting,  was  worth  coming  to  Italy  to  see. 
There  will  not  be  five  days  in  the  year  when  it  is  so 
clear  as  it  was  that  day. 

PARIS,  MEURICE'S,  April  5, 1866. 

Here  we  are,  dear  Frank,  back  again  in  delightful 
quarters  in  the  Rue  Rivoli,  overlooking  the  gardens  of 
the  Tuileries. 

We  left  the  snowy  Alps  on  our  right  as  we  went  north- 
ward through  a  pretty  country,  which  looks  more  like 
our  own  than  anything  we  have  seen, — .  thrifty  little 
farmhouses  in  the  midst  of  apple  orchards,  with  now  and 
then  a  belt  of  pine  woods.  Everything  looked  neat  and 
tidy,  —  so  different  from  lazy,  oily  Italy.  The  cars,  too, 
on  the  Swiss  roads,  are  the  best  in  Europe.  We  passed 
through  Olten  and  Basle,  to  Strasbourg,  a  good  day's 
journey.  The  next  morning  we  sallied  forth  to  do  Stras- 
bourg. The  cathedral  is  a  magnificent  building  inside, 
very  massive  but  very  graceful  Gothic,  the  windows  very 
beautiful.  Outside,  it  is  to  my  mind  not  graceful  or  well- 
proportioned.  The  second  spire,  which  was  to  have  been 
as  high  as  the  first,  was  never  put  up,  and  of  course  that 
gives  it  an  unfinished  look.  But  it  is  very  high,  twice 
the  height  of  "  Bunker  Hill,"  and  "  open  work,"  with 
carved  figures  in  stone,  to  the  very  top,  which  is  sur- 
mounted with  a  figure  which  looks  life-size,  but  must  of 
course  be  immense  and  shapeless  when  near  it.  At 
twelve  we  saw  the  wonderful  clock  strike,  which  looks 
like  a  small  cathedral  in  itself.  I  suppose  there  is  the 

13 


194    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

same  crowd  before  it  every  day  at  that  hour,  of  the  cas- 
ual passers-by,  —  the  wooden-shod  peasants  who  have 
come  in  from  the  country  and  heard  of  this  wonderful 
toy,  and  the  better-dressed  but  no  less  curious  and  eager 
strangers,  —  who  have  timed  their  visit  to  see  the  hour 
of  twelve  announced  by  the  puppets,  the  apostles,  the 
hour-glass,  the  cock  crow,  etc.  I  think  the  cock  is  the 
cleverest  part  of  it. 

We  drove  to  the  Rhine  and  walked  across  into  Ger- 
many over  the  bridge  of  boats  at  Kehl.  It  was  very 
queer  to  notice  the  different  uniform  and  style  of  soldiers 
at  each  end  of  the  bridge. 

This  must  go  by  to-night's  mail,  and  I  must  close  it 
at  once. 

Love  to  all  yours.    In  haste,  FRANK. 

LONDON,  May  12,  1866. 

I  received  your  nice  letter  of  the  18-21st  ult.  this 
week,  and  it  differed  not  from  all  yours  in  being  delight- 
ful. We  were  very  glad  to  get  back  to  old  London 
again,  although  the  past  four  months  have  been  one 
dream  of  pleasure.  I  cannot  help  feeling  regret  that  my 
illness  in  Paris  prevented  me  from  seeing  more  of  the 
life  there,  and  knowing  more  of  the  French  troops  ;  but 
who  knows?  we  may  be  there  together,  one  of  these 
days! 

You  were  nearly  right  about  a  man's  feelings  at  being 
mustered  out,  but  still  I  gave  myself  very  little  trouble 
about  it.  I  could  expect  nothing  else,  as  the  time  of  my 
original  leave  had  expired,  and  I  did  n't  hope  to  stay  in 
longer  than  that  when  I  took  it.  There  are  a  great 
many  general  officers  who  have  suffered  as  much  loss, 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    195 

Mid  done  infinitely  more  service,  mustered  out,  and  I 
don't  see  why  I  should  be  retained  any  more  than  they. 
I  speak  to  you  as  I  would  to  myself,  you  know. 

Mr.  Stan  ton  has  been  very  kind  to  me  throughout, 
and  I  suppose  that  it  was  by  his  means  that  my  muster- 
out  has  been  again  suspended.  Until  my  leave  is  up,  I 
suppose,  I  can't  think  any  longer —  what  I  shall  do  then 
remains  to  be  seen.  It  will  depend  upon  what  I  can 
have  in  the  regular  army.  I  have  made  no  application, 
taken  no  steps  to  obtain  an  appointment,  but  I  suppose, 
like  Mr.  M.,  I  shall  "  wait  for  something  to  turn  up."  I 
think  my  uncle  would  prefer  to  have  me  stay  in  the 
army  to  going  into  any  other  profession  or  business,  for 
the  present ;  and  if  I  can  earn  my  bread  and  butter,  with 
pleasant  surroundings,  why,  it  is  all  that  I  can  ask.  But 
in  the  army  or  out,  I  hope  I  shall  always  be  a  soldier  at 
heart.  No  "  General  Order  "  can  ever  take  that  satis- 
faction away  from  me,  and  until  the  "  Special  Order  " 
comes  from  the  Higher  Authority,  mustering  me  out 
altogether — or,  excuse  me,  transferring  me  from  this 
corps  (e),  —  I  will  try  not  to  disgrace  the  name. 

There  is  a  terrible  panic  here  just  now ;  one  of  the 
largest  banking  companies  in  the  kingdom  failed  yester- 
day ;  liabilities  only  twenty -two  million  pounds  sterling. 
Several  other  banks  will  have  to  suspend  to-day,  and 
everybody  looks  very  blue.  American  securities,  five- 
twenties,  could  not  be  bought  yesterday.  No  one  will 
part  with  them.  Rather  a  let-down  for  people  who  were 
sneering  at  our  bankruptcy  two  years  ago,  and  disposed 
to  facilitate  it.  Serves  them  i  ight ;  and  the  men  over 
here  who  have  been  true  to  the  North,  and  backed  her 
by  putting  their  money  in  her  stocks,  are  now  reaping 
their  reward. 


196    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

i 

The  prospect  for  a  European  war  seems  almost  cer- 
tain. Napoleon  can  alone  stop  it,  and  I  do  not  think  he 
is  disposed  to.  I  am  very  glad  I  have  been  through, 
that  country.  We  could  n't  go  there  now,  through 
Venetia.  If  there  is  fighting,  I  shall  understand  it  so 
much  better.  The  Italians  are  crazy  for  war,  and  the 
demonstrations  for  Garibaldi  as  their  leader,  especially 
in  the  south  of  Italy,  are  wildly  enthusiastic.  I  know 
that  he  did  not  want  to  move  this  year  on  account  of  the 
cholera,  but  we  shall  see  what  we  shall  see.  I  should  like 
to  stay  over  here,  and  go'  down  there  as  a  looker-on.  I 
must  close.  We,  I  say  we,  have  ordered  a  hat  for  your 
wife  which  I  hope  she  will  like,  at  Brown's.  I  don't 
think  there  is  much  style  in  hats  here,  and  in  Paris  we 
saw  very  few.  The  bonnets  of  the  period  there  are 
very  pretty,  when  you  can  discover  them  among  the 
hair. 

Good-by,  love  to  all  yours ;  by  the  time  you  get  this 
we  shall,  D.  V.,  be  about  sailing,  with  a  full  moon  and, 
I  hope,  good  weather. 

Yours,  FRANK. 

General  Bartlett  returned  with,  his  wife  to 
America  in  June,  1866,  and  from  that  time  for 
more  than  a  year  he  made  his  home  at  Pittsfield, 
in  The  Homestead.  He  was  mustered  out  of  the 
military  service  of  the  United  States  in  July.  Oc 
the  16th  of  September  his  first  child,  a  daughter, 
was  born.  He  seems  to  have  had  at  first  some 
thoughts  of  seeking  employment  in  the  diplomatic 
service  of  the  government,  but  nothing  came  of 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    197 

it.  His  uncle,  Edwin  Bartlett,  between  whom 
and  himself  there  existed  strong  ties  of  affection, 
and  for  whose  judgment  he  had  great  respect, 
preferred  that  he  should  turn  his  attention  to 
business,  preferably  manufactures,  and  he  warmly 
commended  his  refusal  of  the  post  of  Collector  of 
the  Port  of  Boston.  To  this  matter,  and  to  other 
offers  of  political  advancement,  the  following  let- 
ters relate,  and  they  also  show  the  general  course 
of  his  life  after  his  return  from  Europe.  It  only 
needs  to  be  added,  that  from  this  time  he  was 
frequently  asked  to  be  a  delegate  to,  or  an  officer 
of  political  conventions  and  the  like,  and  that 
these  offers  and  applications  show  how  remarka- 
bly the  young  man  of  twenty-six  had  attracted 
the  attention  of  a  community  from  which  he  had 
gone  forth  as  a  college  undergraduate,  and  with 
which  he  had  hardly  mingled  for  five  years  ex- 
cept as  a  wounded  officer  on  sick  leave  of  absence. 

PITTSFIELD,  August  23,  1866. 

I  was  sadly  shocked  to  see  the  death  of  poor  Hay- 
ward1  in  the  paper.  It  does  seem  hard,  these  inscruta- 
ble ways  of  Providence,  in  carrying  men  through  dan- 
gers of  no  ordinary  sort,  and  then  letting  them  suddenly 
drop.  You  and  I  carry  with  us,  always,  mementoes  of 
Hayward's  handiwork,  that  we  shall  cherish  a  whit  more 

1  Formerly  surgeon  of  the  Twentieth  Massachusetts  Infantry. 
This  gallant  and  accomplished  man  fell  a  victim,  a  short  time  he- 
fore  the  day  appointed  for  his  marriage,  to  his  devotion  to  charity 
patients  during  the  prevalence  of  cholera  in  St.  Louis. 


198    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

kindly  now  that  the  comrade  who  served  us  so  well  has 
gone. 

I  was  very  glad  to  see  Humphreys'  appointment.  It 
makes  up  for  some  of  the  disgusting  ones.  Augur  is  to 
have  West  Point,  which  is  also  very  satisfactory.  He 
is  just  the  man  for  it,  and  was  most  popular  there  before 
the  war.  The  Philadelphia  Convention  seems  to  have 
gone  off  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned  in  it.  I 
don't  think  the  theatricals  indulged  in  will  count  for 
much.  As  scenic  effect  it  was  good.  I  see  that  my 
name  is  put  among  some  others  as  delegate  to  the  Con- 
vention on  September  3.  It  struck  me  as  rather  queer, 
but  still  —  Of  course  I  cannot  think  of  "  accepting  the 
honor."  There  seem  to  be  many  good  names  on  the 
list,  and  a  few  only  of  scaly  ones. 

My  love  to  your  wife.  I  suppose  I  ought  to  be  very 
glad  that  you  are  so  busy,  and  I  am ;  but  do  not  work 
too  hard. 

I  feel  much  more  settled  and  contented  since  I  had 
that  talk  with  Judge  Abbott,  and  decided  not  to  take 
any  government  appointment.  I  feel  so  perfectly  inde- 
pendent. My  uncle  approves  my  learning  the  details  of 
manufacturing,  and  I  shall  be  on  the  lookout  for  some 
position  in  that  line. 

With  much  love,  Yours,  FRANK. 

CONFIDENTIAL.  BOSTON,  August  26,  1866. 

I  wanted  very  much  to  see  you  this  morning,  before 
deciding  about  the  offer.  You  must  confess  it  was 
rather  staggering.  The  thing  was  to  be  done  immedi- 
ately, if  I  consented.  Judge  Abbott  held  to  his  advice  of 
ihe  other  day  as  to  any  subordinate  position,  but  this  was 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  B  ART  LEI  F.    199 

a  different  thing,  —  the  second  commercial  office  in  the 
country,  with  a  salary  from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand 
dollars  and  often  upwards,  —  but  it  would  involve  being 
here  constantly  for  the  next  six  weeks  or  two  months, 
a  pretty  thorough  renovation  of  the  Custom  House, 
standing  any  amount  of  abuse  and  blackguarding,  which, 
though  it  broke  no  bones,  would  be  disagreeable,  etc. 

I  believe  my  duty  is  clear,  to  stay  with  my  wife,  and 
execute  the  trust  and  bear  the  responsibilities  thrown 
upon  me  by  the  detention  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pomeroy. 
I  have  charge  of  everything  up  there,  and  it  would  be 
impossible  for  me  to  leave  within  the  next  few  days  and 
come  here,  as  I  should  have  to.  I  told  Judge  Abbott 
that  I  did  not  see  my  way  clear  to  take  it.  That  the 
honor  of  being  selected  for  it  would,  perhaps,  be  more 
pleasant  than  the  actual  possession  of  the  office.  I  be- 
lieve he  approves  of  my  resisting  the  temptation,  and  he 
implied  that  he  would  have  been  glad  to  have  had 
Henry  or  Ned  do  the  same  under  similar  circumstances. 
I  hope  you  will  agree  with  me  that  it  was  my  duty  to 
refuse  it.  I  don't  believe  I  shall  ever  regret  it.  I  wish 
I  could  have  a  talk  with  you.  Write  me  a  few  lines,  if 
you  have  time.  Love  to  your  wife. 

In  haste,  yours. 

FRANK. 

This  is  confidential.  I  would  n't  say  anything  about  it. 

THE  HOMESTEAD,  PITTSFIELD,  September  7,  1866. 

I  was  very  glad  to  get  your  letter,  and  know  that  you 

approved  of  my  decision  in  the  Collector  business.    You 

}ust  confirmed  my  views  in  the  matter.     I  don't  think  I 

Wve  for  a  moment  regretted  it,  and  I  believe  I  am  much 


200    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

happier  to-day  than  I  should  have  been  had  I  been  car- 
ried away  by  the  tempting  offer.  I  am  sorry  to  see  that 
the  papers  have  me  as  one  of  the  persons  named  in  con- 
nection with  the  office,  together  with  John  Adams,  Geo. 
Ashmun,  General  Couch,  etc.  I  don't  know  how  they 
could  have  heard  it,  unless  it  had  been  spoken  of  be- 
fore I  heard  it,  for  I  have  not  said  anything  about  it. 
After  what  has  passed,  I  do  not  care  to  be  thought  a 
disappointed  office-seeker,  as  I  shall  be  when  the  ap- 
pointment is  made ;  and  you  are  at  liberty  to  state  that 
I  am  not  a  candidate  for  the  office.  That  I  have  been 
offered  the  position  and  refused  it,  I  do  not  wish  to  state. 
I  do  not  think  it  would  be  fair  to  Judge  Abbott  and  the 
other  party  leaders  who  were  so  kind  as  to  give  me  the 
refusal  of  it. 

I  saw  my  name  as  one  of  ^he  Vice-presidents  of  a  meet- 
ing in  Tremont  Temple  a  few  nights  since.  That  was, 
of  course,  without  consisting  me.  I  fancy  that  as  far  as 
the  President  goes,  you  and  I  think  alike,  and  that  we 
are  equally  sorry  to  see  the  chief  magistrate  so  lower- 
ing the  dignity  o*  his  high  office.  I  had  only  a  moment 
in  which  to  thank  you  for  your  good  letter.  Agnes  con- 
tinues persistently  well,  and  I  tell  her  it  is  all  humbug 
about  her  being  ill  at  all.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pomeroy  will 
not  be  here  till  the  3d  of  October.  Before  that  time  I 
hope  she  will  be  convalescent. 

I  see  that  our  friend  Butler  is  trying  to  get  to  Con- 
gress.    If  he  does,  will  it  vacate  his  commission  of  Gen- 
eral of  the  Militia  ?     Jf  so,  we  must  think  about  that. 
Love  to  your  wife,  who  is,  I  hope,  as  well  as  mine, 
arho  sends  love  to  you  both,  with  mine  to  you. 

FRANK. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    201 

September  11,  1866. 

Yours  of  9th  received.  I  am  very  sorry  that  I  can- 
not be  with  you  to-morrow.  For  though  I  have  no 
share  in  the  honor  of  the  Twentieth  in  all  those  battles, 
still  there  is  nothing  on  earth  that  I  am  prouder  of  than 
her  glorious  record. 

My  love  to  every  one  who  remembers  me,  and  to 
those  who  do  not,  my  kind  regards. 

Agnes  continues  well.  Glad  you  have  found  a  house 
and  in  such  a  good  locality. 

In  haste,  yours  ever,         FRANK. 

The  foregoing  letter  refers  to  the  presentation 
at  the  State-house  of  Massachusetts  of  a  regi- 
mental color  of  the  Twentieth  Massachusetts  In- 
fantry, bearing  the  names  of  the  battles  which  it 
was  authorized  by  General  Orders  to  have  in- 
scribed upon  it.  To  the  Twentieth  was  assigned 
the  privilege  of  inscribing  upon  its  colors  more 
names  of  battles  than  any  other  infantry  regi- 
ment in  the  army  of  the  Potomac. 

PITTSFIELD,  September  17,  1866. 

The  telegram  that  I  sent  this  morning  will  tell 
you  how  relieved  and  happy  we  all  are  that  Agnes  has 
got  through  so  nicely,  and  has  such  a  strong,  healthy, 
and  pretty  baby.  I  was  never  very  intimate  with  ladies 
at  this  age,  and  am  not  a  judge  of  female  beauty  on  such 
a  small  scale,  but  those  who  seem  to  be  more  compe- 
tent, say  that  it  is  a  remarkable  good  "  specimen  of  the 
style  in  the  early  ages."  But  I  am  so  glad  and  relieved 


202    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

that  Agnes  is  so  well,  that  I  should  not  have  complained 
if  it  had  been  a  monkey. 

I  suppose  it  ought  to  have  been  a  boy,  to  satisfy  the 
large  family  of  which  I  am  the  only  hope  for  the  trans- 
mittal  of  the  name,  but,  as  I  say,  I  do  not  care  a  rap  so 
long  as  Agnes  is  all  right.  I  know  you  will  be  glad  to 
hear  such  good  news  from  her.  Much  love  to  your  wife 
and  keep  for  yourself  all  that  you  want  You  know  you 
have  carte  blanche  there.  Is  n't  it  four  years  to-day 
since  you  stopped  that  grape-shot  ?  I  saw  by  the  papers 
that  I  was  a  delegate  to  the  Cleveland  Convention,  but 
on  receipt  of  the  notice  "  declined  the  honor."  My  uncle 
entirely  approved  of  my  decision  in  re  Coll.,  of  which  I 
am  glad.  Yours  ever,  FRANK. 


[Published  with  the  permission  of  the  writer.] 
42  COURT  STREET,  BOSTON,  September  25,  1866. 

MY  DEAR  BARTLETT,  —  Subsequent  events  have 
made  me  the  more  satisfied  that  I  did  not  urge  you, 
under  the  circumstances,  to  take  the  place  of  Collector. 
I  can  explain  this  to  you  when  I  see  you,  but  I  am  sat- 
isfied that  I  was  right  in  not  urging  you. 

I  desire  fo  know  now,  if  you  will  permit  your  name  to 
be  used  as  candidate  for  Governor  of  the  Constitutional 
Union  Party,  —  not  the  Democratick,  —  in  the  coming 
election  ?  Of  course  there  is  no  danger  of  election.  I 
think,  however,  there  will  be  a  vote  of  over  fifty  thou- 
sand, a  very  respectable  number  to  begin  with.  I  have 
no  doubt  ground  will  be  taken  in  favor  of  the  soldiers' 
bounties,  and  my  belief  is,  you  would  get  a  large  por- 
tion of  their  votes.  You  can  trust  me  that  your  name 
Will  not  be  used  unless  the  nomination  would  be  sub- 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    203 

Btantially  unanimous.  If  you  yet  think  of  a  foreign  mis- 
sion, I  think  this  would  be  advantageous.  I  think,  too, 
although  very  probably  we  may  be  defeated  at  the 
coming  election  in  the  country,  that  we  are  right,  and 
shall  be  sure  to  prevail  two  years  hence,  when,  from 
present  appearances,  General  Butler  will  be  the  candi- 
date of  the  Radicals  and  General  Grant  of  the  other  side. 
Be  kind  enough  to  let  me  know  by  return  of  mail  how 
I  may  act  in  the  matter.  I  don't  want  to  urge  you,  but 
certainly  I  think  the  nomination  would  be  very  compli- 
mentary. 

Very  sincerely  your  friend,         J.  G.  ABBOTT. 

PITTSFIELD,  September  27,  1866. 

MY  DEAR  JUDGE,  —  It  would  be  very  strange  if  I  did 
not  feel  deeply  the  honor  which  your  confidence  and  the 
contents  of  your  favor  of  the  25th  do  me. 

I  have  not  regretted  the  decision  that  I  made  in  the 
case  of  the  collectorship,  and  I  shall  never  forget  your 
delicacy  and  consideration  at  that  time  in  not  urging  me 
to  do  what  I  did  not  think  was  clearly  my  duty.  I  be- 
lieve you  acted  by  me  as  you  would  have  done  by  Henry, 
and  I  could  ask  nothing  more.  I  believe  that  I  decided 
as  he  would  have  decided  under  the  circumstances,  and 
you  could  ask  nothing  more.  The  present  offer  seems  to 
me  to  have  more  objections  and  fewer  inducements.  On 
principle,  I  never  like  to  attempt  anything  in  which 
I  do  not  intend  to  succeed,  and  here  there  is  no  chance 
of  success  at  the  start. 

The  acceptance  of  the  nomination  would  lose  me  more 
friends  than  my  election,  even  if  that  were  possible, 
would  gain  me ;  you  see  I  speak  to  you  frankly  and 


204    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

selfishly.    You  know  how  fearfully  one-sided  politics  are 
in  this  State. 

I  cannot  tell  you  how  it  pains  me  to  decline  any  offer 
made  by  one  whom  I  honor  and  respect  so  highly,  and 
I  believe  you  know  that  if  it  were  any  service  to  you 
personally,  I  would  do  it  at  any  sacrifice. 

I  have  succeeded  thus  far  in  keeping  out  of  politics, 
acting  mainly  on  your  good  advice,  and  I  feel  that  you 
will  say  that  I  do  wisely  in  shunning  them  still,  by  deny- 
ing myself  the  honorable  prominence  which  the  nomina- 
tion would  give  me,  to  end  only  in  defeat. 

I  am,  with  sincere  regard, 

Ever  yours,  W.  F.  B. 

September  28,  1866,  Saturday  p.  M. 

This  is  really  the  first  moment  I  have  had  for  writing 
you  since  I  sent  that  telegram.  I  did  not  want  to  write 
it  out,  but  thought  you  would  understand,  as  you  did. 
Before  I  received  your  answer,  I  had  written  Judge 
Abbott  substantially  as  follows  :  — 

[Here  follows  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  letter.] 

I  think  that  answer  agrees  pretty  nearly  with  the 
views  expressed  in  your  letter.  You  must  excuse  my 
telegraphing  in  such  an  abrupt  way,  but  you  see  how 
directly  my  mind  turns  to  you  when  I  need  advice.  I 
hope  you  will  take  it  as  I  interpret  it  to  myself,  a  proof 
of  my  love  and  confidence. 

This  morning  I  had  a  note  from  the  Judge,  saying 
he  was  glad  I  had  decided  as  I  had,  although  he  thought 
it  was  right  that  I  should  have  been  offered  the  nomina- 
tion, which  would  have  been  unanimous. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    205 

So,  that  is  all  settled.  I  wonder  what  will  come  next. 
I  hope  something  in  the  way  of  business  soon. 

Agnes  improves  every  day  —  sate  up  to-day  altogether 
five  hours.  Is  being  very  good  and  prudent. 

The  mail  clones.  With  much  love  to  you  and  your 
wife  from  us,  Ever  sincerely  yours, 

FRANK. 

I  saw  your  brother's  brevet  and  was  delighted.  It 
was  well  earned. 

General  Bartlett  passed  the  whole  of  the  year 
1867  in  Berkshire  County,  most  of  it  at  The 
Homestead  in  Pittsfield,  and  the  rest  in  a  snug 
little  house  which  he  fitted  up  in  the  adjoining 
town  of  Dalton,  and  which  he  named  The  Box. 
The  letters  presently  to  be  given  contain  some 
account  of  the  opportunities  for  honorable  em- 
ployment which  came  almost  or  quite  within  his 
reach.  Besides  the  presidency  of  the  New  York 
Company,  he  was  recommended  for  the  post  of 
United  States  Marshal  for  the  District  of  Massa- 
chusetts ;  but  the  appointment  was  not  made. 
Early  in  this  year,  he  determined  to  take  charge 
of  a  paper-mill  in  Dalton,  and  the  purchase  of 
that  property  was  the  occasion  of  his  removing 
to  that  town.  From  June  onward  he  was  ac- 
tively occupied  with  this  business. 

PITTSFIELD,  January  7, 1867. 

I  write  a  line  in  great  haste,  to  tell  you  that  if  the 
toads  are  not  all  filled  up  again,  as  they  are  likely  to  be 


206    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

by  the  way  the  snow  is  blowing  to-night,  I  shall  leave 
early  to-morrow  morning  for  my  uncle's. 

A  letter  from  him  to-day  says:  A  new  savings  and 
life  insurance  company  is  being  formed  under  the  au- 
spices of  such  men  as  Dix,  J.  J.  Cisco,  banker,  assistant 
treasurer,  etc.,  Hamilton  Fish,  ex-governor,  Washington 
Hunt,  ex-governor 

It  is  to  combine  savings-bank  and  life-insurance  on 
a  principle  which  contains  many  things  new  in  this 
country,  but  from  reading  the  plan  I  should  think  very 
excellent  ones.  I  will  send  you  the  plan  when  I  have 
another.  The  point  is  that  the  presidency  of  the  thing 
will  probably  be  tendered  to  me.  It  was  offered  to  Dix, 
and  he  was  to  take  it  if  he  had  not  gone  abroad. 
Would  n't  it  be  a  very  flattering  position  for  a  young- 
ster? Do  you  think  I  am  "up"  to  such  a  place?  I 
know  you  will  tell  me  what  you  think.  I  should  have 
to  reside  in  New  York.  That  I  should  n't  like,  but  I 
would  not  of  course  let  that  stand  in  the  way  one  mo- 
ment of  my  having  an  honorable  and  profitable  employ- 
ment. The  salary  will  be  from  eight  to  ten  thousand 
dollars.  Of  course  it  is  all  uncertain  as  yet,  and  you 
won't  speak  of  it  unless  you  hear  more  from  me.  I  am 
to  go  to  New  York  with  my  uncle  to  see  some  of  the 
parties,  when  I  suppose  it  will  be  decided.  Glad  your 
wife  continues  to  improve.  The  baby's  weight  to-day 
15J.  Much  love  to  you  both. 

Excuse  haste,  FRANK. 

You  Bee  how  naturally  I  turn  to  you  in  any  important 
affair. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    207 

PITTSFIELD,  January  22,  1867. 

1  suppose  you  think  I  am  under  the  snow,  if  not 
under  the  sod. 

I  came  up  from  New  York  with  my  uncle  last 
Wednesday,  and  Thursday  the  storm  began.  My  uncle 
could  not  get  away  from  here  till  Saturday  evening,  and 
no  news  from  Boston  till  Monday.  Now  the  trains  are 
beginning  to  get  through,  but  the  air  seems  full  of  snow, 
and  there  is  no  dependence  to  be  placed  on  the  weather. 

I  long  to  hear  how  you  and  your  wife  are,  and  the 
little  Marian.  I  found  your  kind  letter  in  New  York, 
where  we  went  on  Monday,  14th.  After  talking  over 
the  matter  of  which  I  wrote  you,  with  my  uncle,  and 
Mr.  Aspinwall,  and  Mr.  Alsop,  we  found  many  more 
objections  to  my  taking  it  than  at  first  appeared.  It 
will  necessarily  be  up-hill  work  for  a  year  or  two,  with 
pretty  close  confinement. 

If  I  undertook  it,  I  should  not  be  able  to  leave  it  for 
anything  better  until  it  was  successfully  established 

Mr.  Pomeroy  did  not  encourage  it  from  the  first. 
He  wants  me  to  wait  for  an  opportunity  to  go  into 
manufacturing,  where,  as  he  says,  you  can  make  more 
in  one  year  than  you  could  there  in  five.  Besides, 
manufacturing  would  be  more  to  my  taste,  better  for 
my  health,  give  me  more  room  for  progress  and  promo- 
tion. In  the  other  place  I  should  be  confined  to  the 
city,  an  office  with  $10,000  a  year,  but  no  hope  of  any- 
thing beyond,  and  with  the  expenses  of  living  in  New 
York  we  should  not  have  a  cent  more  at  the  end  of  the 
year  than  at  the  beginning.  Five  thousand  dollars  in 
Massachusetts,  or  even  in  Boston,  would  be  worth  more 


208    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

than  twice  that  in  New  York.  As  Aspinwall  says,  it 
would  not  be  so  much  what  we  would  care  to  do,  as 
what  we  should  have  to  do  in  such  a  position.  It  was 
very  hard  for  me  to  give  it  up,  for  I  am  so  impatient  to 
be  at  work,  but  I  want  to  act  prudently  and  be  guided 
by  the  advice  of  older  heads.  The  thing  was  proposed 
to  my  uncle,  when  it  was  found  that  Dix  was  going  to 
Europe,  and  McClellan  would  not  be  home  in  time,  and 
he  thought  it  was  worth  my  looking  into.  He  did  not 
wish  to  influence  me  too  much,  but  is  glad  that  I  have 
decided  not  to  take  it,  all  things  considered.  I  will  just 
copy  what  I  wrote  to .  Mr.  Entz,  the  gentleman  with 
whom  I  talked  in  New  York. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  I  have  decided  reluctantly  to  de- 
cline the  presidency  of  the  new  Life-insurance  and 
Savings  Company.  It  is  not  without  mature  delibera- 
tion, and,  for  many  reasons,  sincere  regret.  One  of  the 
principles  of  my  life  is,  never  to  undertake  anything 
that  I  cannot  give  my  whole  heart  and  mind  to.  If  I 
should  accept  the  office  so  flatteringly  proposed,  I  should 
wish  to  give  my  whole  soul  to  achieving,  with  your  val- 
uable and  necessary  assistance,  the  success  and  reputa- 
tion of  the  company.  The  business  opportunities  for 
which  I  am  waiting  may  offer  at  any  day ;  but  had  I 
accepted,  in.  the  mean  time,  this  position  of  trust  and 
responsibility,  and  my  friends  have  taken  an  interest  in 
the  company  on  my  account,  I  should  feel  bound  in 
honor  to  stand  by  it  and  them,  at  no  matter  what  per- 
sonal and  pecuniary  sacrifice. 

"This  decision  is  the  harder  of  the  two  for  me  to 
make  at  this  time,  unoccupied  as  I  am,  but  it  seems  dic- 
tated by  prudence  and  the  right  motives.  I  do  not  wish 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    209 

to  appear  insensible  of  the  great  honor  which  the  associ- 
ation of  my  name  with  this  office  does  me,  and  I  trust 
that  you  will  readily  find  a  far  abler  and  equally  suitable 
man  for  the  place. 

"  The  company  will  always  naturally  have  my  best 
Wishes  for  its  success,  and  you  yourself  the  regard  and 
esteem  of  your  obedient  servant,  etc." 

So  that  is  settled.  I  dare  say  many  will  think  it 
foolish  to  pass  on  such  a  position,  but  I  expect  that  it 
will  prove  for  the  best.  The  time  to  clam  is  at  low 
water,  and  many  of  the  mills  will  have  to  "  go  under " 
before  long.  Then  will  be  the  time  to  buy  out  and  start 
afresh. 

I  hope  your  wife  is  very  well  and  the  baby  nourish- 
ing. Ours  is  16^. 

I  don't  advise  your  coming  up  here,  Frank,  at  this 
time,  unless  you  will  come  prepared  to  stay  a  week  or 
more.  Let  me  hear  from  you.  The  presidency  is  no 
secret.  With  nmch  love,  yours,  FRANK. 

PITTSFIELD,  February,  27, 1867. 

Every  one  is  on  the  sick  list,  with  colds,  coughs,  etc., 
etc. 

The  baby  is  much  better,  but  Agnes  has  a  miserable 
influenza,  which  is  very  prevalent  here  just  now.  The 
others  are  in  different  stages  of  the  same  cheerful  com- 
plaint, so  I  advise  your  not  coming  just  now. 

Nothing  new  from  "Washington  in  reference  to  the 
collectorship.  No  appointment  has  yet  been  made,  I  be- 
lieve. 

I  heard  from  Washington  that  the  President  was  in- 
14 


210    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

clined  to  appoint  me,  but  the  pressure  of  the  Massachu- 
setts delegation  for  Gooch,  their  old  associate,  for  whom 
they  were  committed  (except  Hooper),  before  my  name 
was  suggested  to  them,  embarrassed  him,  as  he  wishes  to 
conciliate  the  party. 

I  have  no  one  representing  me  in  Washington,  and 
under  the  circumstances  should  consider  it  rather  re- 
markable if  I  should  be  named,  when  so  many  other 
candidates  are  in  the  field,  working  night  and  day.  If 
I  should  be  nominated,  I  should  try  to  fulfil  the  duties 
of  the  place  with  credit ;  if  not,  I  shall  be  inclined  to 
feel  that  it  is  a  fortunate  escape  from  the  many  annoy- 
ances and  entanglements  attendant  upon  the  position. 
I  should  think  Clifford's  name  the  best  of  all  that  are 
mentioned  in  connection  with  the  office. 

I  hope  you  and  your  wife  are  well. 

With  much  love,  yours  ever,         FRANK. 

FIFTH  AVENUE  HOTEL,  March  1,  1867 

I  sent  you  a  very  hurried  and  perhaps  unintelligible 
telegram  yesterday  afternoon  as  I  left  Pittsfield.  The 
cars  were  waiting  for  me,  and  I  had  to  be  very  expedi- 
tious. I  wanted  to  say  that  I  was  going  to  Washing- 
ton, as  I  had  had  a  telegram  saying  I  had  better  come 
on,  and  if  your  father  was  disposed  to  do  it,  not  being 
otherwise  committed,  I  should  like  a  letter  from  him  to 
the  President.  If  he  had  any  aversion  to  writing  to  the 
President,  I  would  n't  have  him  think  of  it  for  a  moment. 
This  is  something  that  is  very  distasteful  to  me,  and  I 
said  last  week  I  would  not  go  on  to  Washington  for  the 
place ;  but  my  friends  who  are  interested  urge  it,  and  I 
suppose  that  it  is  only  right  that  I  should  do  what  I  can. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    211 

Please  explain  to  your  father  the  abruptness  of  my  tele- 
gram. I  hope  he  will  not  write  if  he  has  the  slightest 
feeling  about  it. 

I  expected  to  go  on  last  night,  but  a  telegram  inter- 
cepted me  on  the  way  down,  saying  that  Mr.  George 
Ashmun  was  in  New  York,  and  from  what  the  letter 
Baid,  I  thought  I  had  better  wait  here  and  see  him. 

I  shall  go  on  to-night  and  shall  try  to  come  back 
Monday. 

It  has  been  a  wretched  day  —  raining  like  mad. 

Much  love  to  your  wife. 

Yours,  in  haste,  FRANK. 

ANNANDALE  ON  HUDSON,  September  12,  1867. 
I  have  had,  these  last  two  days,  a  strong  desire  to 
write  you,  even  if  only  a  few  lines.  In  any  great  joy  I 
should  turn  to  you  to  share  it,  and  so  in  this  great  grief, 
the  first  and  greatest  I  have  ever  known,  I  turn  to  you 
for  sympathy.  I  thought  we  had  got  accustomed  to 
death,  —  we  could  lose  comrades  and  brothers  in  war,  and 
be  calm  and  stoical.  But  this  is  all  new  to  me.  I  have 
never  lost  a  near  relative  before,  one  whom  I  knew  well. 
It  depends  not  so  much  upon  the  relationship  as  upon 
the  relations  that  you  have  with  another.  My  uncle  was 
nearer  to  me  ....  that  is,  I  went  to  him  more  freely 
for  advice,  ....  and  now  I  feel  as  if  I  had  lost  every- 
thing. But  what  is  my  loss,  beside  that  of  my  dear 
aunt  ?  The  relation  between  these  two  has  always  been 
a  peculiarly  close  one.  Dependent  each  on  the  other, 
they  have  been  for  thirty-six  years  like  engaged  lovers, 
uever  separated  for  a  single  day.  She  is  utterly  crushed 
and  stunned,  but  is  doing  more  bravely  than  we  could 


212    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

expect.  It  was  so  sudden.  He  has  not  been  well  for 
many  weeks,  but  only  took  his  bed  last  Wednesday 
week.  I  was  with  him  on  Friday  and  Saturday,  when 
he  seemed  to  be  better,  and  we  thought  he  would  rally. 
"We  had  no  idea  the  end  was  so  near.  When  I  left  him 
on  Saturday  I  said,  "  I  shall  be  back  on  Monday."  And 
he  said  with  a  voice  as  strong  as  ever,  "  You  '11  find  me 
better  on  Monday."  He  failed,  however,  on  Sunday, 
and  when  I  got  here  Monday  he  had  not  noticed  any- 
thing for  hours.  My  coming  seemed  to  rouse  him,  and 
he  knew  me  and  tried  to  speak.  I  did  not  leave  his  side 
from  that  time  till  three  o'clock  Tuesday  morning,  when 
he  quietly  breathed  his  last. 

The  surgeons  term  the  disease  purpura,  a  derange- 
ment of  the  blood-vessels  of  the  bowels,  —  what  apo- 
plexy is  to  the  brain.  He  has  been  working  too  hard 
this  summer  on  some  papers  he  has  been  drawing  up  for 
the  trustees  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Railroad.  They 
all  looked  to  him  for  the  brain-work,  and  the  10th  was 
the  day  of  the  meeting.  There  was  the  paper  before 
them,  finished,  perfect  in  its  character,  and  there  was  the 
telegram  announcing  his  death  that  morning.  Mr.  Alsop 
says  it  was  the  saddest  meeting  that  ever  was  attended. 
Oh,  Frank,  how  I  wish  you  had  known  him !  That  was 
one  of  my  dreams,  to  have  you  come  here.  He  would 
have  loved  you,  Frank,  and  you  would  have  enjoyed  his 
noble  mind  and  lovely  character. 

We  bury  him  on  Friday,  from  the  little  chapel,  and 
then  I  fear  for  my  poor  aunt  the  worst  will  begin. 

I  hope  you  and  yours  are  well. 

With  much  love,  ever  yours,  FRANK. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    213 

Agnes  and  the  baby  are  in  Pittsfield.  She  will  come 
nere  after  the  funeral.  The  baby  will  be  a  great  diver- 
sion for  my  aunt.  She  has  been  expecting  to  be  in 
Pittsfield  on  the  16th,  the  little  thing's  birthday,  with 
uncle.  She  has  never  seen  it ;  he  was  there  last  win- 
ter. 

The  death  of  liis  Uncle  Edwin,  who  was  child- 
less, though  married,  seemed  at  first  to  place  him 
beyond  the  necessity  of  work.  By  his  will,  his 
Uncle  left  his  estate  of  Miramonte  upon  the 
Hudson  River  to  his  wife  for  her  life,  and  on  her 
death  to  his  nephew,  General  William  Francis 
Bartlett,  "  in  consideration  of  his  gallantry  and 
devotion  to  his  country  in  her  late  struggle  for 
self-preservation."  He  then  gave  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  to  his  wife,  and  the  residue  to 
two  of  his  friends  in  trust  to  have  the  whole  ap- 
praised, to  pay  over  one  third  to  his  wife,  about 
fifteen  thousand  dollars  in  legacies,  and  the  res- 
idue to  General  Bartlett.  It  is  understood  that 
if  General  Bartlett  had  accepted  the  provisions 
of  this  will,  he  would  have  come  into  immediate 
possession  of  property  then  valued  at  close  upon 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  But  he  was  young 
and  hopeful,  and  the  country  was  prosperous,  or 
seemed  so,  and  everything  looked  bright.  He  was 
much  attached  to  the  wife  of  the  man  whom  he 
so  tenderly  loved,  and  he  feared  that  she  would 
find  the  provision  made  for  her  inadequate  to  en- 


214    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

able  her  to  live  in  the  manner  to  which  she  was 
accustomed.  Moved  by  these  considerations,  he 
executed  a  paper  instructing  the  trustees  to  retain 
the  property  left  to  him,  and  to  pay  the  income  to 
his  aunt.  It  was  a  generous  act,  an  act  to  which 
the  much  abused  term  of  chivalrous  may  fairly  be 
applied,  but  in  the  sequel  it  proved  most  unfortu- 
nate. Its  consequences,  however,  are  too  much 
matter  of  private  and  family  concern  to  admit  of 
their  relation  here. 

THE  Box,  December  I,  1867. 

I  am  glad  that  you  know  me  well  enough  not  to  think 
it  strange  when  you  do  not  hear  from  me  for  months. 
You  will  believe  that  you  are  none  the  less  in  my 
thoughts.  I  hope  before  very  long  we  can  have  a  real 
good  pow-wow  under  this  little  roof.  We  are  getting 
very  comfortably  settled,  and  were  never  so  happy  in 
our  lives.  Some  people  say,  "  Why,  won't  you  find  it 
very  quiet  out  in  Dalton  ?  "  (They  are  of  that  class 
which  believes  that  Pittsfield  and  the  like  are  places  of 
excitement.)  How  little  they  know  of  the  comfort  of 
quiet  and  seclusion  when  one  has  seen  a  fair  share  of  the 
noise  and  bustle  of  the  world.  Every  one  who  comes 
out  here  thinks  we  are  very  cosily  settled,  and  are  sur- 
prised to  see  what  can  be  made  of  a  common  little 
country  cottage  of  a  story  and  a  half.  .... 

Yours  ever,  FRANK. 

The  year  1868  was  for  General  Bartlett  a 
year  of  hard  work,  and,  upon  the  whole,  of  de- 
clining health.  He  remained  at  Dalton  for  some- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    215 

thing  more  than  half  the  year,  and  then  took  a 
house  in  Pittsfield.  The  change  of  residence  was 
owing  to  his  acceptance  of  the  position  of  treas- 
urer and  general  manager  of  the  Pomeroy  Iron 
Works,  at  West  Stockbridge.  As  this  town  and 
Dalton  were  on  opposite  sides  of  Pittsfield,  it 
was  much  better  for  him  to  make  his  home  in 
the  last-mentioned  place.  He  associated  with 
himself  in  the  paper  business  Colonel  Walter 
Cutting,  who  married  a  sister  of  his  wife,  and 
Colonel  Cutting  soon  qualified  himself  to  take 
charge  of  the  mill  at  Dalton.  As  for  the  manu- 
facture of  iron,  he  devoted  himself  to  it  with  his 
usual  intelligence  and  energy,  and  with  such 
success  at  first,  that  at  the  end  of  May  he  thought 
himself  authorized  to  assert  that  the  weekly 
report  of  his  furnace  showed  "  the  best  week's 
work  yet  made  at  that  or  any  other  furnace  in 
this  country." 

His  application  and  his  way  of  life  were  un- 
favorable to  his  health.  Besides  the  fatigue 
incident  to  his  work,  he  had  a  long  way  to  go 
and  to  return  each  day,  and  the  constant  per- 
sonal supervision  which  he  gave  to  his  furnace  ex- 
posed him  to  trying  alternations*  of  heat  and  cold. 
In  January,  he  had  a  bilious  attack  and  symp- 
toms of  fever.  These,  however,  yielded  to  qui- 
nine and  to  alterative  medicine,  but  in  February 
he  continued  indisposed.  His  trouble  was  then 
thought  to  be  owing  to  a  want  of  bile.  It  was 


216    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

attended  with  extreme  soreness  in  the  bowels  and 
back,  with  a  tendency  to  peritoneal  inflamma- 
tion. His  physician  thought  there  was  still  some 
of  the  old  ulceration  left  from  his  prison  dysen- 
tery, and  that  he  ought  to  avoid  exposure  and  fa- 
tigue; but  still  he  labored  on,  avoiding  neither 
exposure  nor  fatigue,  and  by  the  first  of  August 
it  was  only  too  plain  that  he  had  worked  too  hard 
all  summer  and  that  he  needed  a  rest.  He  had 
become  very  thin.  Whenever  he  lost  flesh,  the 
stump  of  his  amputation  was  one  of  the  first 
places  in  which  the  loss  appeared.  This  caused 
his  artificial  leg  to  chafe,  and  was  almost  always 
attended  with  pain  in  his  lost  foot.  Of  this  the 
world  knew  little.  The  absolute  silence  of  the 
man  as  to  his  own  sufferings  was  a  marked  char- 
acteristic of  him,  and  his  patient,  cheerful  endur- 
ance was  almost  beyond  belief.  He  went  to 
Philadelphia  upon  the  occasion  to  which  one  of 
the  following  letters  refers,  but  it  was  already 
becoming  painfully  apparent  that  he  was  not  fit 
for  such  efforts.  The  sword  was  wearing  out  the 
sheath,  and  the  war  had  worn  the  sheath  very 
thin. 

•  THE  HOMESTEAD, 

PITTSFIELD,  May  13,  1868. 

I  suppose  you  think  I  am  dead,  or  else  have  forgotten 
you  entirely.  I  had  time  only  to  read  your  last  kind 
letter,  but  not  to  answer  it.  It  was  like  a  draught  of 
good,  fresh,  cool  water,  when  one  is  tired  and  thirsty. 
VTou  can  hardly  imagine  how  busily  I  have  been  occu- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    217 

pied  these  last  two  months.  I  begin  to  see  land  at  last, 
but  it  may  yet  be  two  or  three  weeks  before  I  can  really 
sit  down  and  take  a  long  breath.  I  never  knew  until 
this  year  what  Sunday  is  to  the  working  man,  as  a  day 
of  rest.  Well,  I  don't  need  to  explain  my  condition; 
the  simple  fact  that  I  have  not  written,  even  you,  for 
nearly  two  months,  tells  the  whole  story.  I  cannot  tell 
you  on  paper,  with  any  satisfaction,  about  the  iron  busi- 
ness. You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  it  promises  to 
be  a  very  pleasant  and  profitable  occupation.  I  have 
bought  Hoodie's  interest  in  the  paper  mill,  and  taken  in, 
as  partner  in  his  place,  Walter  Cutting.  He  is  taking 
hold  of  the  business  with  an  earnestness  and  cleverness 
which  surprise  me,  and  I  feel  great  relief  in  that  quar- 
ter already. 

He  will  live  in  Dal  ton,  and  take  charge  of  the  busi- 
ness, so  that  I  can  devote  my  time  almost  exclusively  to 
the  furnace.  I  hope  to  get  to  Boston  next  week  on 
business,  and  will  not  come  away  without  a  "  sit-down " 
with  you  of  an  hour  or  two,  when  I  can  put  you  in  pos- 
session of  all  the  facts.  Meantime,  believe  that  you  and 
yours  are  not  out  of  my  thoughts,  even  in  the  busiest 
days,  and  that  I  am  constantly  looking  forward  a  few 
years  when  we  shall  be  nearer  each  other. 

Much  love  to  your  wife,  and  kiss  the  lovely  baby. 
Yours,  in  haste.  FKANK. 

PITTSFIELD,  September  26,  1868. 

I  am  just  in  receipt  of  your  telegram  of  this  date, 
asking  if  I  will  "  take  command  of  Massachusetts  dele- 
gation to  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Convention  at  Philadel- 
phia." 


218    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

I  have  replied,  by  telegraph,  that  "  if  you,  and  such 
as  you,  are  of  the  delegation,  I  will  go ;  but  I  prefer 
a  less  conspicuous  place." 

I  mean  by  "you,  and  such  as  you,"  men  who  have  no 
personal  political  ambition  to  gratify,  or  place  to  seek ; 
men  who  would  represent,  as  you  do,  the  best  blood  of 
Massachusetts,  and  who  proved  themselves  worthy  of 
their  origin  on  the  field. 

I  am  no  politician.  If  I  were  to  be  classed  at  all,  I 
suppose  it  would  be  as  a  "  War  Democrat."  And  hav- 
ing been  a  War  Democrat  during  the  war,  now  that  the 
war  is  over  I  most  certainly  desire  peace.  A  peace  that 
we  so  steadily  fought  for ;  a  peace  that  we  so  fairly  won. 
That  peace  would  seem  now  to  be  threatened,  unless 
the  men  who  surrendered  unconditionally  at  Appomat- 
tox  are  allowed  to  dictate  terms  to  the  men  who  taught 
them,  through  four  bloody  years,  that  the  way  of  rebell- 
ion is  hard.  I  believe  in  the  utmost  liberality  and 
magnanimity  towards  a  fallen  foe,  and  I  would  extend 
the  hand  right  heartily  in  token  of  forgiveness  and 
friendship. 

Such  liberality  characterized  Grant's  terms  as  General 
of  the  Army,  when  rebellion  laid  down  its  arms.  Such 
magnanimity  and  charity  will,  I  believe,  mark  his  course 
as  Commander-in-chief. 

Believing,  as  I  do,  in  the  soundness  of  heart  of  the 
soldiers  of  Massachusetts,  their  devotion  to  truth,  to 
valor,  and  to  justice,  I  shall  in  peace  follow  with  them ; 
or  failing  a  chief  more  worthy,  shall  with  pride  lead 
them.  1  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  F.  BARTLETT. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    219 

The  downward  tendency  of  his  physical  con- 
dition became  yet  more  marked  in  1869.  His 
home  and  his  occupations  were  the  same,  but  his 
fitness  to  enjoy  the  one  and  to  do  justice  to  the 
other  was  often  greatly  diminished.  He  was  con- 
fined to  his  bed  in  February,  and  was  excessively 
weak.  His  wife  wrote  :  "  It  would  go  to  your 
heart  to  see  him.  He  looks  nearly  as  emaciated 
as  when  he  came  home  from  the  Libby.  No 
doubt  this  illness  has  been  coming  on  for  many 
months."  By  the  second  of  March  he  had  re- 
covered so  far  as  to  drive  out  for  ten  minutes. 
During  the  summer  he  was  better,  but  in  Sep- 
tember he  was  again  ill  in  bed,  suffering  from 
congestion  of  the  bowels,  unaccompanied  at  this 
time  with  ulceratiou.  Indeed,  it  may  be  said 
that  he  never  recovered  from  the  dysentery  which 
attacked  him  after  his  capture  at  the  explosion  of 
the  mine  before  Petersburg.  Besides  his  physical 
sufferings,  his  business  at  this  time  began  to  do 
less  well.  There  was  little  of  pleasant  incident 
for  him  in  this  year,  but  he  took  great  interest  in 
planning  a  house  for  himself,  which  he  began  to 
build  in  November,  near  The  Homestead.  His 
second  child,  a  daughter,  was  born  on  the  17th 
of  February  in  this  year. 

As  it  had  been  in  1869,  so  it  was  in  1870,  but 
worse.  He  toiled  unremittingly  till  he  could  toil 
no  longer,  and  at  last  it  was  decided  that  he 
should  take  a  short  vacation  and  go  to  England. 


220    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

He  announced  his  determination  to  his  most  con- 
stant correspondent  in  the  following  letter  :  — 

May  22,  1870. 

Don't  suppose  there  is  anything  very  wrong  with  me. 
It  is  a  sort  of  conspiracy  between  the  doctor  and  the  rest 
of  them  to  get  me  out  of  the  country.  I  have  no  doubt 
the  rest,  and  voyage  out  and  back,  will  do  me  much 
good,  although  I  do  not  yet  see  how  I  can  possibly  leave 
my  affairs. 

A  man's  experience  at  such  times,  though  not  flatter- 
ing to  himself,  is,  that  things  get  along  just  about  as  well 
without  him ;  and  I  presume  that  will  be  the  result  with 
me.  Much  love  to  you  both. 

Ever  yours,  FRANK. 

His  wife  wrote,  on  the  22d  of  May :  — 

It  is  an  absolute  necessity,  as  far  as  his  health  is  con- 
cerned, that  he  should  have  immediate  and  entire  rest 
for  mind  and  body.  He  has  not  been  well  for  two  or 
three  months,  and  the  constant  and  fatiguing  business 
trips  of  the  last  few  weeks  have  broken  him  down  sadly. 
The  doctor  says  he  must  stop  now,  else  he  may  have  a 
return  of  that  terrible  illness. 

He  wrote  from  Queenstown  on  his  arrival  there 
"  that  the  continuance  of  the  miserable  pain  and 
Boreness  has  quite  decided  him  to  remain  over  till 
Captain  Hoodie's  July  trip."  He  had  hoped 
that  the  sea  voyage  out  and  back  would  be  suffi- 
cient, with  no  longer  stay  in  England  than  the 
interval  between  the  ship's  arrival  and  departure ; 
but  the  bow  had  been  bent  too  long. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    221 

CKOXLEY  HOUSE,  July  4,  1870. 

I  was  delighted  to  see  your  well  known  writing  again, 
and  I  thank  you  very  much  for  taking  the  trouble  to 
write  me  such  a  nice  long  letter,  telling  me  so  much  that 
I  wanted  specially  to  hear.  I  have  not  written  any 
one  but  Agnes,  giving  myself  over  to  complete  lazi- 
ness. I  am  doing  very  little  in  the  way  of  going  out 
to  dinners  and  theatres,  etc.,  having  cut  it  from  the 
first. 

We  are  about  twenty  miles  from  London,  in  this  old 
place,  which  is  very  odd  and  thoroughly  English.  The 
park  of  about  thirteen  acres  is  entirely  enclosed  in  a 
high  masonry  wall  of  some  ten  to  fifteen  feet  outside, 
but  by  raising  the  ground  inside  it  seems  only  a  few 
feet  high,  viewed  from  the  house,  and  that  completely 
covered  with  ivy,  so  that  there  is  no  sense  of  being 
shut  in. 

I  go  to  London  for  two  or  three  days  in  the  week, 
spending  the  night,  or  coming  down  in  time  for  dinner, 
at  half  past  seven,  as  I  feel  like  it.  Every  afternoon 
that  I  am  down  we  drive  four-in-hand  through  these 
lovely  English  lanes  and  over  the  superb  high  roads. 
Many  parts  of  this  country  (Herts)  remind  me  of  the 
Shenandoah  valley,  —  that  beautiful  rolling  green,  al- 
though there  are  no  hills  as  high  as  the  Blue  Ridge  in 
sight.  It  is  a  favorite  spot  about  here  for  gentlemen's 
places.  The  adjoining  one  to  this  is  an  estate  of  about 
eight  hundred  acres,  "  Cassiobury  Park,"  the  Earl  of 
Essex's ;  next  to  that  is  Lord  Clarendon's,  "  The 
Grove  ; "  near  by,  Lord  Ebury's  "  Moor  Park  ;  "  and 
next,  Lord  Chesham's  "  Latimer  "  and  "  Loud  Water." 
You  can  see  that  so  many  fine  places,  so  near,  with  their 


222    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

hundreds  of  acres  of  park  and  wood,  make  the  whole 
country  round  here  picturesque  and  beautiful.  They 
are  suffering  fearfully  for  want  of  rain,  and  will  have 
very  slight  crops  of  both  hay  and  grain. 

I  believe  that  I  am  much  better  now  than  when  I  left 
home,  and  I  have  no  doubt  whatever  that  the  voyage 
home  will  do  me  worlds  of  good,  and  that  I  shall  reap 
the  benefit  of  this  rest  and  change  for  the  balance  of  the 
year.  For  the  first  week  or  two  after  my  arrival  here 
I  did  not  mend  a  bit,  and  was  quite  disgusted,  and  re- 
gretted that  I  had  not  gone  back  with  Hoodie.  But  I 
am  gaming  now,  I  feel  sure. 

There  is  one  thing,  Frank,  you  may  be  sure  of,  and 
one  of  these  days  you  will  confirm  my  belief,  that  the 
oftener  you  leave  home  for  this  side,  the  better  satisfied 
you  will  be  that  with  all  her  faults  America  is  the  place 
of  all  the  world  to  live  in.  The  more  you  see  of  other 
countries,  the  better  you  will  love  your  own. 

I  am  glad  to  hear  such  good  accounts  of  your  wife 
and  the  bairns.  Mine  have  the  whooping-cough,  but  I 
am  assured  that  it  is  the  most  favorable  time  of  year, 
and  that  otherwise  they  are  in  superb  health,  and  for 
this  we  cannot  be  too  grateful. 

My  best  love  to  your  wife,  dear  Frank,  and  what  you 
don't  give  to  her,  keep  for  yourself. 

From  your  devoted  FRANK. 

The  good  effects  of  his  vacation  did  not  last 
long.  In  October  his  wife  wrote  :  — 

He  is   very  far  from  well The    anxiety  and 

fatigue  of  those  days  and  nights  at  the  furnace  have  told 
upon  him  seriously,  and  he  is  now  suffering  from  much 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    223 

soreness  and  lameness  in  the  bowels He  is  not 

strong  enough  or  robust  enough  for  active  business,  and  aa 
he  throws  all  his  energy  into  whatever  he  undertakes, 
he  frequently  exhausts  himself,  and  then  feels  that  he 
cannot  take  the  time  to  repair  the  waste,  and  so  when 
he  gets  down,  it  is  very  hard  for  him  to  get  up  again, 
and  he  is  injuring  his  constitution  every  day,  and  is  in 
a  fair  way  to  entirely  ruin  his  wonderful  recuperative 
powers. 

At  this  time,  neither  the  paper  nor  the  iron 
business  was  yielding  any  return,  and  mental 
anxiety  was  added  to  physical  weakness.  "  He  is 
greatly  harassed  in  many  ways,  and  of  course  all 
this  worry  of  mind  increases  his  trouble  of  the 
bowels He  suffers  a  great  deal,  and  some- 
times longs  for  the  rest  of  heaven."  These  words 
again  are  from  his  wife.  The  days  and  nights  at 
the  furnace  to  which  she  refers  are  those  spent 
there  by  her  husband  in  the  autumn  of  this  year, 
when  the  furnace  had  a  "  chill,"  and  it  required 
excessive  exertion  and  unremitting  watchfulness 
to  keep  it  from  going  out  of  blast. 

At  the  end  of  this  year,  he  moved  into  his  new 
house,  which  was  most  satisfactory,  and  the 
source  of  great  enjoyment  to  himself  and  his 
wife.  •- 

It  is  not  to  be  understood  that  these  years  were 
all  dark.  To  do  so  would  be  to  go  very  far  from 
the  truth.  He  was  most  happily  married,  and 
though  he  suffered  more  than  almost  any  one 


224    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

knew,  he  put  a  brave  face  upon  it,  and  was  always 
firm  and  patient,  and  always,  or  almost  always, 
cheerful.  He  was  most  agreeably  hospitable,  in 
a  simple  fashion,  in  his  own  home,  and  he  found 
time  for  frequent  little  visits  to  his  family  and 
friends,  and  he  always  enjoyed  and  derived  great 
profit  from  such  periods  of  relaxation.  His  pow- 
ers of  rallying  were  wonderful.  Sometimes  he 
would  come  to  a  friend's  house  at  the  sea-shore 
quite  exhausted,  silent,  feeble,  and  without  ap- 
petite. At  first  he  would  sleep  much,  then  he 
would  begin  to  take  an  interest  in  the  table,  and 
presently  he  would  seem  like  a  new  man,  cheer- 
ful in  his  serious  way,  enjoying  his  food  and  tak- 
ing plenty  of  it,  and  ready  to  make  the  most  of 
every  pleasure  which  his  position  afforded. 

In  the  year  1871,  he  contended  with  increasing 
ill-health.  In  March  he  was  very  far  from  well, 
and  he  went  to  make  a  short  visit  to  some  friends 
in  Boston.  While  with  them,  he  suffered  from 
his  wearing  pain,  and  had  little  appetite  and  lit- 
tle strength,  but  he  improved,  as  usual  when  he 
gave  himself  the  chance,  and  in  April  he  was 
much  better  in  spirits  and  in  health.  He  soon 
fell  off  again,  and  had  a  serious  illness  in  the 
early  summer,  —  a  touch  of  pleurisy  with  a  con- 
gestive chill.  He  went  in  August  to  Nantucket, 
for  two  weeks,  with  his  wife,  and  the  sea  air,  sea 
bathing,  and  rest  set  him  up  wonderfully,  and  he 
was  very  well  during  the  autumn.  In  December 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    225 

he  was  ill  again  for  some  weeks  with  another  at- 
tack of  pleurisy. 

During  this  year  he  was  very  busy,  whenever 
he  was  able  to  work,  and  he  began  to  take  a  zeal- 
ous interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  church.  In  April, 
he  became  senior  warden  of  St.  Stephen's  Epis- 
copal Church  in  Pittsfield,  and  in  September  he 
was  there  confirmed  by  the  bishop  of  the  diocese. 

On  the  26th  of  November,  in  this  year,  his 
first  son  was  born.  This  event  was  a  very  great 
joy  to  him.  He  was  the  only  male  representative 
of  his  grandfather,  in  his  generation,  bearing  the 
name  of  Bartlett,  and  the  qualities  of  the  father's 
nature  were  such  as  to  make  his  personal  desire 
for  a  son  very  strong.  The  boy,  a  noble  specimen 
of  babyhood,  was  christened  Edwin,  after  his  be- 
loved arid  lamented  uncle. 

The  year  1872  was  a  full  and  busy  year  for 
him,  and  a  year  in  which  he  came  more  prom- 
inently before  the  public  than  he  had  done  since 
the  war  ended.  In  January,  he  accepted  a  posi- 
tion upon  the  personal  staff  of  the  Governor  of 
Massachusetts,  with  the  rank  of  colonel.  His 
health  was,  as  he  described  it,  "  so,  so,"  which, 
from  him,  meant  that  it  was  very  poor.  He  pro- 
posed to  go,  early  in  the  year,  to  Virginia,  to  at- 
tend to  some  business,  but  his  condition  became 
so  much  worse  that  he  was  obliged  to  defer  the 
visit  for  several  weeks.  By  the  end  of  March  he 
had  been  for  some  time  in  Virginia,  and  he  pro- 

15 


226    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

nounced  himself  much  the  better  for  "  roughing 
it "  there. 

In  the  spring  of  1872  an  earnest  effort  was 
making  to  secure  a  nomination  for  President  of 
the  United  States  which  should  commend  itself 
to  all  the  true  friends  of  reform  and  good  govern- 
ment, irrespective  of  party  lines.  In  this  under- 
taking General  Bartlett  took  a  very  deep  interest. 
His  sympathies  were  made  known  by  the  follow- 
ing publication  in  the  "  Springfield  Republican  " 
of  April  10,  1872,  and  the  following  letters  show 
his  feelings  about  the  enterprise  and  its  result :  — 

A  FIEST  GUN. 

GENERAL  BARTLETT  UPON  THE  PRESIDENTIAL  CONVENTIONS 
AND  CANDIDATES. 

To  THE  EDITOR  OF  THE  REPUBLICAN,  —  On  iny  re- 
turn from  Virginia,  after  a  short  absence,  I  read  in  the 
columns  of  your  Boston  correspondence,  that  "  General 
Bartlett,  who  has  been  selected  by  some  of  the  wise 
men  of  the  East,  in  consultation  with  canny  Berkshire, 
as  the  proper  person  to  represent  Western  Massachu- 
setts at  Philadelphia,  is  more  of  a  soldier  than  politician, 
but  is  counted  on  to  go  for  Grant  as  a  soldier." 

As  I  had,  sometime  previous  to  the  date  of  the  above 
article,  declined  to  allow  the  use  of  my  name,  I  cannot 
suppose  that  the  selection  would  be  approved ;  but  it 
seems  to  me  only  the  part  of  candor  to  declare,  that 
while  I  am  nattered  to  learn  that  my  name  has  been 
considered  in  connection  with  so  distinguished  a  posi- 
tion, I  am  not  "  to  be  counted  on  to  go  for  Grant, "  il 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    227 

that  means,  as  I  fear  it  does,  blind  allegiance  to  the 
group  of  politicians  under  whose  control  General  Grant 
has  unfortunately  placed  himself,  and  whose  solicitude 
seems  to  be  greater  for  the  Republican  party  than  for 
the  welfare  of  the  country. 

But  I  am  waiting,  as  I  know  thousands  of  other  good 
soldiers,  and  good  Republicans  now  "  counted  on  to  go 
for  Grant,"  and  good  men  of  all  parties,  are  waiting,  for 
the  nomination  of  a  man  whose  administration  shall  be 
above  suspicion,  not  above  investigation ;  who  cannot  be 
used  or  abused  by  any  set  of  selfish  politicians  of  any 
party;  who  will  illustrate  the  true  meaning  of  "civil 
service  reform  "  by  benefiting  and  enriching  the  nation 
and  not  the  individual ;  whose  ability  as  a  statesman  is 
balanced  by  his  integrity  as  a  man ;  whose  great  services 
to  his  country  in  the  darkest  days  of  our  civil  war,  when 
single-handed  at  the  English  Court  he  stemmed  the  tide 
of  foreign  intervention  with  skill  and  fearlessness  unsur- 
passed, can  never  be  forgotten  by  those  to  whom  the 
honor  of  their  country  is  as  dear  as  her  success;  whose 
name  is  Charles  Francis  Adams,  and  whom,  if  the  Cin- 
cinnati Convention  shall  have  the  wisdom  to  nominate, 
the  people  will  have  the  independence  to  elect. 

"W.  F.  BARTLETT. 

PrrrsFiELD,  April  21,  1872. 

I  have  about  decided  that  it  is  my  duty  to  go  to  Cin- 
cinnati. I  am  urged  to  do  it  by  men  who  hope  for  Mr. 
Adams's  nomination  there ;  and  I  do  not  think  the  del- 
egation of  this  State  will  be  as  strong  as  it  should  be, 
in  case  there  is  any  great  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the 
strength  of  the  three  or  four  probable  candidates.  Mr 


228    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

Bowles  especially  urges  my  going.  He  says  that  my 
letter  has  given  me  a  position  and  influence  which  can 
be  of  great  use  to  Mr.  Adams  in  the  convention.  I  be- 
lieve there  is  a  strong  Sumner  feeling  among  certain 
prominent  men  who  are  going  there,  but  I  do  not  believe 
it  will  have  any  strength  there  after  the  first. 

Of  course  I  shall  be  hopeful  for  the  success  of  the 
movement,  if  it  shall  see  fit  to  put  Mr.  Trumbull  at  the 
head  of  the  ticket,  and  shall  support  it,  but  I  confess 
my  heart  will  not  be  in  it,  as  it  will  if  Mr.  Adams  is  the 

man.  I  have  been  with all  the  afternoon,  and 

I  can  assure  you,  he  has  a  very  strong  belief  in  the 
strength  of  the  Cincinnati  movement,  and  said,  among 
other  things,  that  there  was  very  little  doubt  of  Illinois 
going  against  Grant  if  Trumbull  was  on  the  ticket.  .  .  . 
He  believes,  that  if  the  Cincinnati  Convention  shall  act 
with  wisdom  and  nominate  Trumbull,  or  Adams,  the 
Philadelphia  Convention  will  be  obliged  to  accept  it. 

This  you  must  not  repeat  as  from  Mr. ,  but  you 

"  have  the  information  direct  from  high  authority." 

Mr. 's  chief  fear  is,  doing  any  thing  that  may 

give  back  power  to  the  Democratic  party.  I  tell  him 
that  the  very  way  to  prevent  that  is  for  him  and  men 
like  him,  who  have  taken  an  independent  stand,  to  go  in 
and  control  this,  and  outnumber  the  liberal  Democrats 
who  will  join  it.  He  sees  it,  and  thinks  the  events  of 
the  next  few  weeks  will  decide  the  thing. 

I  need  not  tell  you  how  utterly  distasteful  the  idea  of 
going  to  Cincinnati,  both  physically  and  morally,  is  to 
me.  I  can  neither  afford  the  time,  nor  the  cost,  nor  the 
fatigue ;  but  it  is  a  sacrifice  of  all,  which  I  cannot  refuse, 
feeling  as  I  do  about  the  nomination  and  possible  elec- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    229 

tion  of  Mr.  Adams.  And  if  by  any  chance  I  should 
have  an  opportunity  to  assist  in  bringing  it  about,  I 
ehould  be  too  proud  for  anything. 

Why,  Frank,  just  think  of  having  a  gentleman  as  well 
as  a  statesman  for  President  again !  I  hope  you  will 
talk  Cincinnati  among  the  men  whom  we  know,  espe- 
cially soldiers,  who  would,  in  case  of  Adams's  nomina- 
tion, come  out  in  a  public  indorsement  of  it.  Why 
won't  you  sound  Sam.  Quincy,  who  is  in  the  House  of 
Representatives,  and  Codrnan  ditto,  and  Cogswell,  if  you 
choose,  George  Barnard,  Osborne,  and  the  like  ?  These 
men  I  name,  as  they  have  had  some  experience  and 
prominence  in  affairs,  and  could  organize  such  a  move- 
ment. 

General  Schouler  has  written  me  enthusiastically,  and 
Will  go  to  Cincinnati  if  he  can  afford  it.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  the  late  Worcester  Convention,  and  one  of 
the  vice-presidents.  General  Dale  is  heartily  in  favor 
of  it.  The  chairman  of  the  Republican  Soldiers'  and 
Sailors'  Committee  of  New  York  State,  H.  A.  Barnum, 
has  written  me  that  they  have  had  a  meeting  of  repre- 
sentative soldiers  of  the  different  States  at  Washington, 
and  decided  to  issue  a  circular  letter  preliminary  to  call- 
ing a  general  meeting  of  soldiers  to  "protest  against 
the  further  progress  of  the  alarming  disintegration  of 
the  Republican  party  which  has  taken  place  under  the 
administration  of  General  Grant,"  —  "  and  formally  to 
call  on  the  Philadelphia  Convention  to  nominate  a  can- 
didate other  than  Grant,  and  one  who  can  unite  the 
party,  etc." 

He  tells  me  he  finds  the  anti-Grant  feeling  very 
strong  among  soldiers.  That  has  been  my  experience 


230    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

too.  I  wish  I  could  see  John  or  Charley  Adams  for  a 
half  hour.  They  might  have  some  views  as  to  the  best 
course  to  be  pursued  at  Cincinnati,  which  would  be  valu- 
able. If  you  see  either  of  them  and  they  think  it  de  • 
sirable,  I  would  go  down  for  a  day  this  week  on  receipt 
of  a  telegram  from  you.  Don't  suggest  this  if  you 
think  it  would  be,  or  seem  to  be,  officious. 

I  hope  you  will  write  me  this  week,  Frank.  You 
know  how  much  I  depend  on  you  for  counsel  and  sym- 
pathy. Ever  yours,  FRANK. 

PITTSFIELD,  April  27,  1872. 

I  am  just  off  for  Cincinnati,  spending  Sunday  in 
Rochester  with  friends,  and  so  break  up  the  journey.  I 
shall  be  with  friends  in  Cincinnati,  so  that  my  personal 
comfort  there  will  be  greater  than  if  I  had  to  take  my 
chance  at  the  hotels. 

I  have  your  letter,  and  am  not  discouraged  entirely  by 
it.  I  am  more  hopeful  than  you  that  Air.  Adams  will 
be  nominated,  and  if  that  is  done,  then  the  responsibility 
of  his  non-election  must  rest  on  the  men  in  this  country 
who,  believing  him  to  be  the  best  man,  will,  under  party 
dictation,  vote  for  some  one  else.  My  feeling  about  the 
Cincinnati  movement  is  simply  this :  If  men  are  going 
there  to  attempt  to  achieve  their  own  ambitions  by 
pushing  and  bargaining  for  this  or  that  particular  man, 
because  he  will  serve  their  ends  or  carry  out  their  spe- 
cial theory,  the  sooner  it  is  scattered  to  the  winds  the 
better. 

Mr.  Adams  has,  as  you  very  well  know,  no  personal 
following,  no  "  claque."  He  is  not  popular  with  politi- 
cians, and  he  can  only  be  nominated  by  just  such  a 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    231 

rising  above  personal  considerations,  and  an  honest 
desire  for  better  things,  as  I  hope  will  show  itself  at 
Cincinnati.  If  not,  I  shall  come  home  very  much 
disappointed;  but  I  cannot  think  I  shall  ever  feel  any 
disgrace  in  having  joined  a  forlorn  hope  for  an  assault 
on  a  corrupt  party  management,  even  if  the  assault 
should  be  repulsed;  or  that  I  shall  lower  myself  in  my 
own  or  your  estimation  by  advocating  the  nomination  of 
such  a  man  as  Mr.  Adams  against  anybody. 

"With  much  love,  yours  hastily.  FRANK. 

PITTSFIELD,  May  20,  1872. 

(Do  you  recognize  the  writing  as  seen  in  your  youth  ?) 
I  leave  to-morrow  for  New  York,  whence  I  returned 
Friday  night,  and  expect  now  to  go  on  from  there  to 
Boston,  arriving  probably  Thursday  morning.  I  will 
look  in  at  your  office  during  the  forenoon,  and  tell  you 
more  of  my  plans.  I  shall,  I  think,  stay  over  Sunday 
and  Monday,  when  we  are  to  be  on  duty  I  suppose.  I 
have  been  constantly  busy  since  I  returned  from  Cincin- 
nati, where  I  was  delayed  several  days  by  illness,  par- 
tially brought  on,  I  dare  say,  by  a  "damned  defeat"  that 
"  was  made  "  there  at  that  time,  of  which  more  anon. 
In  haste.  Ever  yours,  FRANK. 

Near  the  end  of  May,  the  furnace  of  the  Pome- 
roy  Iron  Works,  at  West  Stockbridge,  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire.  It  was  a  heavy  blow  to  Bartlett, 
as  he  was  both  superintendent  and  personally  a 
large  owner  in  the  property.  But  he  was  not 
given  to  lamentation,  and  it  is  in  these  words  that 
he  refers  to  the  event :  "  With  my  disheartening 


232    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

disappointment  at  Cincinnati  on  the  3d,  and  this 
blow  on  the  27th,  I  don't  think  I  like  this  month 
very  much." 

From  the  middle  of  this  year  he  was  much  in 
Richmond,  where  he  proposed  to  make  his  home, 
and  near  which  was  the  property  of  the  Pow- 
hatan  Iron  Company,  of  which  he  was  to  be  the 
treasurer  and  manager.  This  property  was  owned 
by  northern  men  and  supplied  with  northern 
capital,  and  he  had  high  hopes  of  its  proving  a 
gainful  enterprise,  and  he  expected  at  the  same 
time  to  profit  personally  from  a  change  of  resi- 
dence to  a  southern  State.  He  worked  very  hard 
getting  things  to  rights  at  the  Virginia  furnace, 
and  also  in  rebuilding  the  furnace  at  West  Stock- 
bridge,  which  latter  was  lighted  on  the  14th  of 
October. 

On  the  24th  of  September,  the  Soldiers'  Mon- 
ument at  Pittsfield  was  dedicated,  with  appropri- 
ate ceremonies,  and  in  the  presence  of  a  great 
concourse  of  people.  General  Bartlett  took  a 
great  interest  in  this  monument,  and  he  was  the 
chairman  of  the  committee  on  procuring  it.  He 
wrote  the  dedicatory  inscription  which  is  cut  upon 
the  base,  and  which  reads  as  follows  :  — 

On  the  west  face, 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    233 

FOB  THE  DEAD 
A    TRIBUTE. 

FOB  THE  LIVING 
A     MEMOBT. 

FOB   POSTEBITY 

AN  EMBLEM 

OF  LOYALTY  TO  THE  FLAG 
OF  THEIB  COUNTBY. 

On  the  east  face, 

WITH  GBATEFUL  BECOGNITION 
OF    THE     SERVICES     OF     ATT.     HEB 

SONS 

WHO  UPHELD  THE  HONOB  AND 
INTEGBITY  OF   OUB  BELOVED 

COUNTBY 

IN  HEB  HOUB  OF  PEBIL, 
THE  TOWN  OF 

PITTSFIELD 

EBECTS   THIS  MONUMENT  IN 

LOVING     MEMOBY     OF     THOSE 

WHO  DDUD  THAT  THE 

NATION 
MIGHT  LIVE. 


234    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

In  the  speech  in  which  General  Bartlett  form- 
ally delivered  the  monument  to  the  town,  he 
spoke  in  terms  of  high  praise  of  the  artist,  and 
then  said :  — 

He  has  taken  for  his  subject,  not  the  private  soldier 
nor  the  commissioned  officer,  but  a  greater  hero  than 
either,  —  the  man  on  whom  so  often  hung  the  fate  of 
battle,  the  man  on  whose  self-forgetting  bravery  and  un- 
flinching firmness  the  steadiness  of  the  whole  line  de- 
pended, the  man  who  bore  the  colors.  And,  comrades, 
was  there  ever  any  flag  half  so  well  worth  fighting  for, 
half  so  well  worth  dying  for,  as  the  flag  we  followed  ? 
As  I  look  upon  your  faces  that  I  have  seen  amid  the 
emoke  of  battle,  and  remember  how  you  closed  up  the 
gaps  made  by  the  fall  of  those  whom  we  honor  to-day,  I 
am  conscious  that  to  you  also  belongs  a  share  of  the 
honor,  but  with  this  difference :  their  fame  was  achieved 
and  secured  by  dying  heroic  deaths,  —  yours  must  yet 
be  maintained  and  preserved  by  living  blameless  lives. 

The  climate  of  Richmond  seemed  to  fulfill  the 
expectations  of  the  man  who  so  much  needed 
every  help  that  climate  could  give  him,  and  he 
wrote  there,  at  the  beginning  of  October,  that  he 
believed  himself  to  be  better  in  health  than  for 
many  months.  At  the  end  of  the  same  month  he 
established  his  family  there,  in  one  of  the  best 
houses  in  the  city.  The  people  of  Richmond 
made  an  exception  in  his  favor  to  their  then  usual 
treatment  of  northerners,  and  before  his  family 
had  been  there  a  month,  they  found  themselves 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    235 

u  overwhelmed  with  kindness,  cordiality,  and  hos- 
pitality from  the  very  nicest  people  here."  His 
wife  writes  of  the  following  period  :  — 

Frank  was  very  hopeful  and  very  busy  that  winter 
and  spring,  getting  things  ready  to  start  the  furnace, 
making  excursions  up  the  canal  into  the  ore  districts, 
going  down  into  mines,  and  doing  things  a  whole  man 
would  have  shrunk  from,  —  making  contracts  for  ore, 
getting  leases  of  some  very  valuable  beds,  and  in  every 
way  busy,  and  working  with  bright  hopes  and  a  hearty 
faith  that  all  was  going  well  and  that  the  Virginia  en- 
terprise would  be  a  complete  success He  was 

pretty  well  that  year,  for  him.  Hardly  a  week  ever 
passed  without  his  suffering  in  one  way  or  another.  He 
was  better  than  in  1871,  when  he  had  that  dreadful 
congestive  chill,  and  also  better  than  in  1872,  when  he 
had  the  severe  attack  of  pleurisy  which  laid  him  up  for 
so  long  a  time. 

He  passed  most  of  the  year  1873  in  Richmond. 
His  family  went  to  their  Pittsfield  home  at  the 
end  of  May  and  returned  in  October.  He  was 
sometimes  with  them  and  sometimes  on  the  water 
during  the  summer,  but  he  was  more  or  less  at 
and  near  Richmond  and  at  the  ore-beds  during 
the  whole  time  of  their  absence.  The  summer 
was  darkened  for  him  by  the  death  of  his  sister 
Edith,  his  youngest  sister  and  "his  pet  and 
shadow." 

The  following  letters  belong  to  the  first  year  of 
his  stay  in  Richmond :  — 


236    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

LYNCHBURG,  VA., 
Wednesday,  March  13,  1872. 

MT  DEAR  AGNES,  —  I  have  just  sent  you  a  telegram, 
to  tell  you  that  we  have  returned  safely  from  our 
dreaded  Echols  expedition  up  into  the  mountains,  and 
got  along  much  better  than  we  feared 

We  got  down  from  Echols's  this  A.  M.  about  eight, 
and  are  going  down  the  canal  on  our  beloved  packet  to- 
night at  six,  to  a  place  twenty  miles  or  so  below  here. 
"We  have  traveled  on  this  same  old  packet  so  long  now 
that  we  feel  as  if  she  was  our  private  yacht,  and  the 
captain  and  steward  and  all  hands  seem  to  think  so  too, 
for  they  don't  often  have  anybody,  I  fancy,  that  gives 
them  anything,  and  they  would,  any  of  them,  jump  over- 
board for  us,  if  we  should  ask  them.  We  get  down  to 
this  place  about  twelve  to-night,  and  expect  to  find 
lodgings  in  a  store  on  the  canal  till  morning,  when  we 
shall  ride  out  to  the  ore-bed,  about  two  and  a  half  miles 
from  the  river. 

We  expect  to  get  back  to  the  canal  and  take  the  up 
boat,  which  comes  along  about  one  o'clock  at  night,  and 
gets  us  back  here  Friday  morning  in  time  to  take  the 
Washington  train.  If  we  get  our  clothes  off  Friday 
night,  it  will  be  the  first  but  one  for  a  week.  I  don't 
intend  to  be  clean  again  till  I  get  into  a  bath  tub  at 
Washington.  You  feel  just  as  well  if  you  only  get 
used  to  it. 

You  want  to  know  about  the  Echols  trip.  Well,  we 
set  sail  in  our  steam  yacht,  three-horse-power  engines; 
ihe  steam  is  in  the  cabin,  where  the  stove  is  kept  at  a 
very  even  temperature,  red  hot  all  the  time.  If  one  of 
the  darkies  sees  the  least  sign  of  black  about  it,  he 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    237 

"goes  for  it"  like  mad,  and  soon  restores  it  to  its  proper 
condition.  The  "bridal  state  room,"  which  I  have  al- 
ready described,  is  pushed  to  the  end  of  the  cabin,  as  far 
as  possible  from  this  beast  of  a  stove,  but  my  feet  come 
within  about  three  feet  of  it  then,  and  I  dreamt  last 
night  that  I  was  John  Rogers  and  you  had  two  small 
children  and  one  at  the  breast.  (Kniffin  suggests  that 
I  had  better  remark  here  that  we  brought  back  most  of 
the  whiskey  which  we  took  with  us,  so  that  you  need 
not  suppose  my  imagination  has  anything  to  do  with  the 
above  statement.)  Well,  to  resume,  we  steamed  out  of 
the  harbor  of  this  magnificent  city  in  a  blinding  snow- 
storm, at  half  past  five  Monday  evening,  and  crossed 
the  bar  at  six.  (You  have  to  cross  the  bar  to  get  to  the 
supper  table,  and  our  cook  always  gets  us  up  something 
extra  when  we  are  on  board.)  I  tell  you  it  looked 
rather  dusty  when  we  thought  of  getting  out  on  to  the 
canal  bank  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  but  we  turned 
in  at  the  usual  hour,  and  I  slept  the  sleep  of  youth  and 
innocence  on  my  downy  table,  wrapped  in  my  cloak,  till 
Clay  called  us,  and  told  us  that  Captain  Echols  was 
coming  on  board.  This  was  down  at  the  junction  of  the 
James  and  North  rivers,  where  we  meet  the  other 
boat  going  up  to  Buckannon,  while  our  boat  keeps  on 
the  North  River  up  to  Lexington.  It  seems  that  Cap- 
tain Echols  and  his  son  had  come  down  to  the  mouth  of 
the  river  to  take  the  boat  for  Buckannon,  and  had  sent 
their  horses  on  to  meet  them  there  in  the  morning.  It 
being  such  a  rough  night,  they  preferred  the  canal  boat 
to  riding  all  night,  and  hearing  from  Clay  (the  steward) 
that  there  were  two  gentlemen  on  our  boat  going  to  their 
place,  they  turned  back,  and  came  on  board  to  go  back. 


238    MEMOIR  OF    WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

Well,  I  felt  relieved  to  think  that  we  should  arrive  at 
the  man's  house  with  him,  but  distressed  to  feel  that  we 
had  upset  his  plans,  after  being  up  all  night.  However, 
he  did  n't  seem  to  think  anything  of  it,  and  so  I  com- 
forted myself  with  the  other  view  of  it. 

He  and  his  son  looked  exactly  like  a  couple  of  real 
rebel  officers,  gray  overcoats,  felt  slouch  hats,  boots,  and 
all.  We  landed  at  half  past  two,  and,  as  they  had  a  lan- 
tern, we  picked  our  way  up  to  the  house  very  comfort- 
ably, although  it  was  still  snowing.  We  were  shown 
into  the  parlor,  and  a  corn-cob  fire  was  soon  started, 
and  we  found  that  they  did  n't  feel  very  badly  at  being 
back  there  instead  of  on  the  road.  We  lay  down  for  a 
while,  I  down  stairs  and  Kniffin  up  aloft  somewhere, 
till  about  seven  or  eight,  when  I  found  a  young  darky 
(Henry  Clay  by  name)  mousing  round  my  leg,  trying  to 
get  my  boots,  I  think.  I  gave  him  ten  cents  to  let  me 
alone,  and  in  a  minute  there  were  several  just  like  him 
that  wanted  to  let  me  alone  too.  We  had  breakfast 
down  cellar  with  the  family,  —  an  aunt  (Mrs.  Echols 
died  about  two  years  ago),  two  daughters,  and  three 
small  children,  mates  of  the  aforesaid  nigs. 

After  breakfast,  we  mounted  our  horses  and  started 
for  the  mountain.  It  had  stopped  snowing  and  was 
clearing  away.  We  saw  the  ore  bed,  and  the  whole 
property.  There  has  been  a  pile  of  money  spent  on  it, 
and  there  is  no  doubt  a  large  deposit  of  ore,  and  it  is  of 
a  very  superior  quality 

We  returned  to  the  Echols  mansion  about  two,  and 
dined,  and  from  that  time  till  half  past  eleven,  when  the 
boat  came  down,  we  passed  in  the  parlor.  Miss  Echola 
Bang  for  us  and  played  very  sweetly,  with  the  regular 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    239 

southern  accent ;  but  it  was  a  treat  and  rest  to  hear 
music  so  far  out  of  the  world  as  that  seemed  to  be. 
She  sang  several  very  pretty  songs.  They  were  alto- 
gether cordial  and  hospitable,  and  he  is  a  very  excellent 
man. 

Our  yacht  arrived  at  half  past  eleven  and  took  us  on 
board,  and  we  came  down  through  the  Blue  Ridge  Gap. 
It  was  a  beautiful,  bright  starlight  night,  and  as  we  stole 
noiselessly  along  at  the  base  of  those  perpendicular  piles 
of  rock,  going,  apparently,  straight  into  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  till  just  at  the  last  moment  a  sudden  turn 
showed  a  pass  which  the  river  had  made  for  us,  we 
regretted  that  it  was  not  daylight  that  we  might  see  the 
views.  •  I  stayed  up  for  an  hour  or  more,  till  we  passed 
the  "Balcony  Falls,"  and  then  was  laid  on  the  table. 
We  arrived  here  at  eight  this  morning,  and  our  yacht 
swings  gracefully  at  her  moorings,  waiting  till  six  this 
evening,  when  we  start  down  the  canal  again  for  River- 
ville,  Amherst  County.  It  seems  to  be  impossible  to  go 
any  where,  or  come  away  from  any  place,  on  this  canal, 
except  between  the  hours  of  midnight  and  two  A.  M 

I  went  into  a  bank  here,  The  First  National,  to  get 
a  New  York  draft  for  $100  cashed,  and  I  really  believe 
it  nearly  broke  them.  They  may  have  had  a  little  cur- 
rency left,  but  the  last  five  dollars  they  had  to  make 
out  with  small  bills  and  fractional  currency 

Now,  do  be  good,  and  get  well,  or  I  won't  come  home. 
The  canal  was  skimmed  over  with  ice  when  I  went  on 
deck  this  morning,  and  as  it  was  before  sunrise,  I  had  a 
<good  appetite  for  breakfast  at  seven 

Love  to  chicks.  I  hope  little  Agnes  is  all  right 
again.  Ever  your  own  loving  FRANK. 


240    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLL  TT. 

I  am  living  principally  on  hog  and  hominy  three 
times  a  day. 

BALCONY  FALLS,  September  15,  1872. 
Sunday  Eve. 

MY  DARLING  AGNES,  —  As  poor  a  man  as  I  am,  I 
would  have  given  a  hundred  dollars  if  you  could  have 
been  with  me  to-day.  I  got  here  with  Captain  Echols 
Saturday  morning,  about  three,  and  yesterday  did  a  full 
day's  work.  Explored  the  mine,  going  in  over  three 
hundred  feet,  to  the  very  end.  It  was  pretty  "  pokerish," 
so  long  since  any  one  had  been  in  there,  and  they  put  me 
on  the  car  and  pushed  me  ahead  of  them,  as  it  was  too 
wet  for  me  to  walk.  I  thought  of  snakes  and  bears  and 
all  sorts  of  things  which  I  did  n't  see,  but  was  glad  when 
I  got  through  and  turned  to  go  out.  I  caught  quite  a 
cold  on  the  packet  that  night,  and  added  to  it  in  this 
tunnel,  I  think,  but  I  had  to  do  it.  I  made  four  separate 
contracts  with  various  parties,  all  very  satisfactory,  and 
settled  all  my  business  last  eve. 

This  morning  Captain  Echols  and  I  started  on  horse- 
back for  the  Natural  Bridge.  About  sixteen  miles  there 
and  back.  Well,  if  I  live,  you  have  got  to  come  up 
here  with  me  this  fall,  and  go  over  there.  I  was  com- 
pletely astonished.  I  had  seen  the  Natural  Bridge  in 
my  geographies  as  one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the 
world,  but  I  did  n't  ever  take  much  stock  in  it,  and  the 
surprise  was  all  the  greater  because  I  have  seen  photo- 
graphs which  I  had  supposed  did  it  justice.  After  going 
round  on  top  of  the  bridge,  where  I  picked  a  piece  of 
arbor  vita  from  a  tree  that  hangs  directly  over  the  abyss, 
for  you,  we  went  round  and  climbed  down  below  and 
«ame  up  under  the  arch,  which  I  can  liken  to  nothing 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    241 

else  than  the  stupendous  aisle  of  one  of  God's  great  cathe- 
drals. The  tree  which  stands  in  the  bed  of  the  brook  and 
which  looked  like  a  currant  bush  from  the  top,  we  sat 
down  under  and  ate  our  "  snack,"  and  found  it  stood 
ninety  feet  high  over  our  heads  and  was  a  foot  and  a  half 
through  at  the  base.  While  we  were  sitting  there,  we 
neard  the  sound  of  many  voices  singing  a  hymn  and  ap- 
proaching, and  as  there  wound  down  the  side  of  the 
ravine,  in  procession,  a  party  of  colored  people  to  a  bap- 
tism in  the  pool  below,  the  effect  of  a  cathedral  that  had 
already  impressed  me  was  very  much  heightened.  We 
witnessed  the  service,  and  after  cutting  a  little  cross  on 
the  tree  to  show  you  as  my  mark  when  I  take  you  there, 
we  went  up  and  found  our  horses,  and  turned  towards 
home.  The  scenery  all  about  here  is  gorgeous. 

I  feel  a  little  tired  to-night  from  riding  so  far,  but  I 
shall  sleep  all  the  better  when  I  get  on  the  boat,  which 
I  expect  along  about  eleven 

The  contrast  between  the  weather  to-day  and  last 
Sunday  is  immense.  There  never  was  a  more  perfect 
day  than  this  has  been.  It  is  right  cool  to-night,  but 
I  am  warmly  dressed.  Captain  Echols  is  a  very  nice 
man,  just  as  good  and  conscientious  as  he  can  be.  I 
couldn't  have  anybody  else  here  in  whom  I  could  place 
so  much  confidence.  They  are  all  so  happy  to  have  him 
home  again.  He  has  been  away  nearly  six  months 
from  all  these  young  children,  without  a  mother,  and 
they  are  very  fond  of  him,  especially  one  of  the  older 
girls,  who  is  a  cripple  and  invalid.  And  to  have  him 
home  to  stay,  with  a  position  that  pays  him  even  more 
khan  he  was  getting  out  on  the  railroad,  makes  them 
16 


242    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

all  very  happy,  and  me   too,  to  be  the  means  of  do- 
ing it 

I  was  sorry  to  see  the  death  of  the  poor  old  Bishop. 
I  wonder  who  we  shall  have  in  his  place. 

My  love  to  the  Storrs,  and  to  Mrs.  Newton,  if  you  see 
her.  I  thought  of  her  to-day,  for  I  think  she  has  been 
to  the  bridge. 

How  is  Walter  getting  on  ?  You  have  n't  said  any- 
thing about  him,  or  the  mill.  My  reports  from  the 
furnace  are  very  satisfactory 

It  seems  as  if  I  had  a  good  deal  to  do  to  finish  up  in 
Richmond  and  New  York,  and  be  with  you  before  an- 
other Sunday  comes  round,  but  I  hope  to  do  it.  I  did 
want  you  so  to-day,  though,  you  darling,  because  you 
would  so  appreciate  and  enjoy  it.  Captain  Echols  says, 
we'll  have  a  picnic  over  there  when  you  come. 

Love  to  all.  Is  n't  it  little  Agnes's  birthday  this 
week  ?  My  best  love  and  kisses  to  the  dear  little 
woman.  What  a  young  lady  she  is  getting  to  be  ! 

Good-by,  my  sweet.  Your  own, 

FRANK. 

FlSHEBSVILLE,  VA.,  June  8,  1873. 

Sunday  Eve. 

DARLING  AGNES,  —  I  can  hardly  believe  that  it  was 
only  a  week  ago  that  I  was  with  you  in  Pittsfield.  I 
have  traveled  so  many  long  miles,  and  been  in  so  many 
places,  and  done  so  much,  that  it  seems  a  month  since  I 
left  you.  I  wonder  if  you  wore  your  seal-skin  to  church 
to-day,  for  I  wore  my  overcoat,  and  have  been  sitting  by 
a  fire  this  evening. 

It  has  been  a  lovely  day,  and  cooler  than  we  shall  be 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    243 

apt  to  have  many  of.  I  came  down  here  from  Stanton 
yesterday  morning,  hoping  to  get  through  and  take  the 
night  train  to  Richmond ;  but  I  found  it  could  not  be 
done.  So  I  took  up  my  abode  here  with  the  Schmuk- 
ers,  and  have  had  a  very  quiet  day  of  rest,  after  a  sat- 
isfactory day  at  the  ore  bank  yesterday. 

The  Gibson  Bank  is  at  last  mine,  and  it  puts  us  out 
of  all  uncertainty  as  regards  ore.  What  I  have  accom- 
plished this  last  week  is  worth  fifty  thousand  dollars  to 
the  Powhatan  Co.  I  can  now  be  a  seller  of  ore  instead 
of  a  buyer.  No  end  of  people  have  tried  before  to  get 
control  of  this  bank,  and  failed,  and  since  I  have  been 
in  negotiation  for  it  people  have  made  bigger  offers  than 
mine. 

It  has  taken  diplomacy  and  money.  I  have  bought 
up  and  paid  off  the  various  claims  and  liens,  and  now 
have  absolute  possession  of  the  place  for  ten  years. 
I  feel  much  happier  than  I  did  when  I  started  up  here, 
and  hope  to  find  everything  going  right  when  I  get  back 
to-morrow.  I  don't  feel  the  same  pleasure,  though,  in 
getting  back  to  Richmond  now,  to  that  empty  house. 
I  shall  find  several  letters  from  you,  and  hope  you  and 
the  dear  children  are  all  well,  and  that  you  can  write  me 
you  are  feeling  ever  so  much  better,  and  getting  fat. 

This  morning  I  went  with  George  Schmuker  to 
church,  and  I  wish  I  could  begin  to  describe  to  you  the 
experience ;  but  it  would  take  too  long,  writing  by  this 
single  tallow  candle,  and  I  must  go  to  bed,  as  we  break- 
fost  early  every  morning  but  Sundays.  Last  night  I 
asked  Mr.  Schmuker  what  time  they  would  breakfast 
this  morning,  thinking  I  would  have  a  good  sleep,  and 
Ue  said,  "  Oh,  we  don't  breakfast  till  late  Sundays  —  not 


244    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

before  six  o'clock,  anyway."  So  I  judge  from  that  I 
shall  be  turned  out  at  four  to-morrow  and  breakfast 
about  five,  perhaps.  Well,  the  church  is  about  two  miles 
from  here,  in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful  oak  grove  of  fine 
old  trees.  It  is  built  of  brick  and  is  a  fine  building, 
about  as  large  as  our  St.  Stephen's,  though  not  so  high. 
It  was  a  new  building  about  twenty  years  ago,  on  the  site 
of  the  former  church,  which  was  one  of  the  oldest  in 
this  neighborhood  —  about  one  hundred  and  forty  years 
old.  The  old  graves  in  the  cemetery  about  it  testify  its 
age.  It  is  called,  "  Tinkling  Spring  Church,"  from  a 
beautiful  spring  which  drips  over  a  shelving  rock  near 
by,  and  a  bucket  of  the  cool  water  stands  in  the  porch 
with  a  tin  dipper,  which  is  in  constant  use. 

They  tell  a  story  of  the  original  parson  who  estab- 
lished the  church  in  those  early  times,  that  he  did  not 
like  this  location,  but  wanted  it  nearer  to  where  Stanton 
now  is ;  but  the  advantage  of  the  spring  carried  the 
majority  of  the  parish  against  him,  and  he  obstinately 
declared  that  no  water  from  that  spring  should  ever 
tinkle  down  his  throat,  and  he  kept  his  word. 

When  we  came  to  the  grove,  every  tree  had  one  or 
more  horses  tied  to  it,  some  with  saddles  and  side-sad- 
dles and  pillions,  others  in  carriages  arid  wagons.  Out- 
side in  front  of  the  porch  were  assembled  the  men,  talk- 
ing, smoking  (buying  and  selling  on  the  sly),  discussing 
the  crops,  the  weather,  and  after  our  arrival,  evidently, 
me.  I  was  introduced  to  all  the  worthies,  but  the  best 
of  them  have  a  broken  down,  degraded  look.  (I  be- 
lieve eating  hot  bread  and  owning  niggers  will  destroy 
any  race.)  After  a  while,  on  a  signal  from  a  bell,  we 
went  inside,  where  I  found  the  pews  already  well  filled 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    245 

with  women  and  children.  I  found  a  seat  near  the 
door,  and  the  services  began  with  a  voluntary  from  the 
choir,  accompanied  by  a  melodeon.  They  sang  two 
verses  all  right.  When  singing  the  third,  some  well 
dressed  young  man  came  in,  and  they  all  began  to  look 
at  him,  lost  their  places,  and  completely  broke  down  and 
stopped,  recovered  on  the  fourth  verse,  and  got  through 
the  other  three  all  right.  Then  a  long  Methodist  look- 
ing man  made  a  short  prayer  and  gave  out  a  hymn 
"omitting  the  sixth  verse,"  and  read  it  all  through. 
Then  he  read  from  the  Bible,  and  explained  the  verses 
as  he  went  along,  by  transposing  them  into  his  own 
language,  which  of  course  was  not  as  good,  or  as  clear 
and  simple  as  the  original.  Meantime,  if  you  could 
have  heard  the  noise,  you  would  wonder  how  the  man 
could  go  on  at  all.  Babies  of  all  ages,  from  those  born 
this  morning  up  to  five  and  six,  were  talking,  singing, 
eating,  and  crying,  and  very  little  attention  seemed  to 
be  paid  to  stopping  them.  After  he  began  his  sermon, 
one  child,  especially,  kept  up  a  howl  and  talking,  and  it 
was  impossible  for  me,  near  the  door,  to  hear  the  parson, 
who  spoke  rather  low. 

The  children  made  so  much  noise  you  couldn't  sleep, 
and  the  minister  so  little  that  you  couldn't  keep  awake, 
BO  that  between  the  two  you  were  thoroughly  uncom- 
fortable. He  was  too  much  for  the  babies,  though,  and 

*  O      ' 

after  three  quarters  of  an  hour  he  had  them  pretty  well 
exhausted,  and  they  gradually  fell  off  asleep  or  went  out 
to  play,  and  he  went  on  untiringly  for  half  an  hour 
longer. 

One  hour  and  a  quarter,  by  my  watch,  was  the  length 
of  his  sermon,  and  not  a  thought  or  an  idea  in  the  barrel 


246    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

of  words.  Then  another  long  hymn,  and  two  hours 
and  ten  minutes  from  the  time  we  went  in,  I  crawled  out 
into  the  fresh  air  under  the  green  trees,  a  worn  out 
sinner,  hoping  against  common  sense  that  these  poor 
people  had  found  some  grain  of  comfort  or  good  in  all 
this  "  meeting  time "  which  seemed  to  be  the  only  break 
in  the  monotony  of  their  lives.  It  made  me  very  sad 
for  them,  but  I  was  very  cross  with  the  minister,  and  he 
is  the  principal  of  a  young  ladies'  school  at  Stanton  !  — 
After  the  benediction,  the  women  linger  in  the  church 
to  talk,  and  the  men  assemble  outside  and  resume  the 
operations  interrupted  by  the  bell.  After  a  while  they 
begin  to  get  away,  and  you  see  a  man  with  two  children 
behind  him  on  horseback,  or  a  woman. 

And  some  of  these  people  come  ten  miles.  God  help 
them,  how  little  they  know  of  life  and  comfort !  I  sup- 
pose, though,  they  are  contented  in  their  ignorance, 
knowing  nothing  better.  I  declined  an  invitation  to  the 
"preaching"  here  in  the  village  this  afternoon,  and  took 
a  nap  instead. 

I  did  n't  mean  to  spin  such  a  long  yarn,  but  as  you 
don't  often  get  long  letters  from  me  in  these  weary 
working  days,  you  will  not  mind  it,  will  you,  old  pre- 
cious ?  I  go  down  to-morrow  and  shall  be  in  Rich- 
mond, D.  V.,  at  five  p.  M.  I  hope  it  will  keep  cool. 

Love  to  all.  Your  own,  FRANK. 


513  GRACE  STREET,  RICHMOND,  VA., 

March  24,  1873. 

MY  DEAR  MR.  SUMNER,  —  I  beg  you  will  pardon  the 
intrusion  of  my  expressing  to  you  the  disgust  I  feel  for 
flie  creatures  who  have  refused  to  remove  from  poor 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    247 

old  Massachusetts'  record  the  disgrace  which  they  and 
their  predecessors  involved  her  in.  I  was  asked  to 
head  a  petition  in  support  of  Mr.  Whittier's,  which  I 
did  immediately,  because  to  have  refused  would  have 
been  misinterpreted.  But  it  was  only  on  the  ground  of 
helping  to  remove  the  stain  from  Massachusetts  that  I 
could  bring  myself  to  sue  as  petitioner  to  the  grave  and 
reverend  seignors  of  the  present  great  and  general  court. 
And  I  expressed  myself  to  this  effect,  and  more,  in  my 
letter  accompanying. 

The  fact  is,  my  dear  Mr.  Sumner,  these  people  cannot 
comprehend  nor  appreciate  the  higher,  truer  patriotism, 
which  is  embodied  in  your  resolution.  And  many  in- 
telligent men,  from  whom  you  would  expect  better 
things,  are  not  yet  ready  or  willing  to  think  of  this 
country  as  a  reunited  one.  They  are  not  yet  really  good 
Union  men.  They  are  not  Americans,  they  are  North- 
erners. 

But  this  is  a  view  which  I  have  not  seen  mentioned 
in  the  varied  discussions  on  the  subject  of  the  names  of 
battles  on  the  United  States  flags,  viz.,  ought  it  to  be 
any  more  distasteful  for  an  ex-confederate  to  march  un- 
der a  flag  bearing  the  name  of  Gettysburg,  than  for  an 
ex-federal  soldier  to  march  under  the  name  of  Fredericks- 
burg  or  Bull  Run,  or  half  the  names  on  our  flags  which 
mark  defeats,  not  victories  ?  If  we  had  nothing  but  the 
names  of  victories  on  our  colors,  then  to  efface  them 
would  be  noble,  but  as  it  is,  where  we  efface  a  victory 
we  shall  also  wipe  out  a  defeat ;  where  is  the  magnanim- 
ity in  that  ? 

I  offer  this  suggestion,  having  little  doubt,  however, 
that  it  has  already  occurred  to  you. 


248    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

I  aTi  very  glad  to  hear  reports  of  your  improving 
health,  which  I  sincerely  trust  may  be  completely  re- 
stored by  rest,  and  remain 

Very  faithfully  yours,  W.  F.  BARTLETT. 

WASHINGTON,  May  11,  1873. 

MY  DEAR  GENERAL,  —  Accept,  if  you  please,  the 
apologies  of  an  invalid  for  this  too  tardy  acknowledg- 
ment of  your  kind  letter,  dated  as  long  ago  as  March 
24th. 

And  please  also  to  accept  my  sincere  thanks.  I  do 
not  doubt  that  when  the  question  of  the  flags  is  under- 
stood, there  will  be  no  difference  of  opinion.  It  will  be 
hard  for  good  people,  and  especially  military  men,  to 
dissent  from  the  authority  of  Generals  Scott,  Anderson, 
and  Thomas,  all  of  whom  approved  my  resolution  when 
offered  in  1862.  It  will  be  hard,  also,  to  dissent  from 
the  example  of  history.  No  civilized  nation  preserves 
on  its  flags  the  names  of  battles  between  fellow-citizens. 

The  memory  of  such  bloody  discord  must  be  con- 
signed to  history,  and  not  be  flaunted  before  our  eyes. 
England,  France,  Prussia,  Italy,  and  Austria  have  fol- 
lowed this  commandment  of  patriotism  and  civilization' 

As  your  letter  is  dated  at  Richmond  I  shall  address 
you  there,  although  I  fear  you  have  left  that  place. 

Believe  me,  dear  General,  faithfully  yours, 

CHARLES  SUMNER. 

In  1874  he  still  made  his  home  in  Richmond. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  year  he  felt  encouraged 
as  to  the  general  aspect  of  business.  In  Feb- 
ruary, upon  one  of  his  Virginia  journeys,  he 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.   249 

caught  a  cold,  which  ended  in  a  cough  which 
never  afterwards  left  him.  It  is  probable,  how- 
ever, that  his  constitution  had  by  this  time  be- 
come so  weakened  that  causes  slight  in  appear- 
ance were  sufficient  to  produce  grave  results.  In 
March  of  this  year,  twin  boys  were  born  to  him. 
In  June  he  had  a  week's  illness,  but  he  was  much 
strengthened  by  a  visit  which  he  made  to  a 
friend's  house  on  the  Beverly  shore  immediately 
after.  It  was  well  for  him  to  gather  strength, 
for  one  of  the  eventful  days  of  his  life  was  at 
hand.  On  the  23d  of  June,  the  dedication  of 
Memorial  Hall,  the  great  building  erected  to  com- 
memorate the  services  in  the  war  of  the  sons  of 
Harvard  College,  took  place  at  Cambridge.  The 
next  day  was  Commencement  Day,  and  the  com- 
mencement dinner  was  served,  for  the  first  time, 
in  Memorial  Hall.  General  Bartlett  was  the  chief 
marshal  of  the  day.  Cambridge  commencement 
dinners  are  crowded  affairs,  as  a  rule,  but  this 
day  the  interest  excited  by  the  new  building 
drew  together  an  unusual  throng.  After  several 
speeches  of  the  customary  degree  of  merit  and 
interest  had  been  made,  the  president  called  upon 
General  Bartlett.  A  midsummer's  day  at  Cam- 
bridge is  apt  to  be  hot,  and  this  day  was  not  an 
exception.  By  the  time  the  dignitaries  have  made 
tfieir  speeches,  the  guests  are  getting  weary  and 
uncomfortable,  and  the  thought  of  the  fresher  air 
without  grows  more  and  more  tempting.  It  is 


250    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

not  a  favorable  moment  for  the  debut  of  an  ora- 
tor. And  yet  when  Bartlett  arose,  and  the  first 
words  uttered  by  his  deep  and  manly  voice  were 
heard,  and  the  audience  became  aware  that  they 
came  from  the  shattered  soldier  whose  tall  and 
slender  form  and  wasted  face  they  had  seen  at  the 
head  of  the  procession  as  he  painfully  marshaled 
it  that  day,  a  great  silence  fell  upon  the  multi- 
tude, and  he  continued  and  finished  his  speech  in 
the  midst  of  silence,  except  when  it  was  broken, 
as  it  was  more  than  once,  by  spontaneous  bursts 
of  cheering.  When  he  took  his  seat,  enthusiastic 
cheering  followed,  and  all  felt  that  an  event  had 
taken  place.  It  is  within  bounds  to  say  that  it  is 
many  years  since  any  speech  made  in  New  Eng- 
land has  produced  so  great  an  effect.  He  spoke 
as  follows :  — 

MR.  PRESIDENT, —  The  first  meeting  of  the  alumni 
around  the  table  in  this  hall,  which  we  yesterday  ded- 
icated to  the  memory  of  our  brothers,  is  one  of  no  com- 
mon interest  to  us  ;  and  I  think  I  speak  for  all  their 
comrades  in  arms  when  I  say  that  the  thoughtfulness 
which  assigns  to  us  the  honorable  duties  of  this  day,  is 
recognized  and  appreciated.  The  day  is  not  without 
sadness  as  we  read  the  beloved  names  on  those  marble 
tablets,  and  yet  not  without  gladness  as  we  reflect  that 
whatever  change  of  fortune  may  come  to  us  as  the  years 
roll  on,  their  fame  is  secure  —  immutable  —  immortal. 
We  shall  grow  old  and  wear  out,  but  they  will  always 
Veep  for  us  their  glorious,  spotless  youth.  I  was  glad 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    251 

to  hear  from  the  lips  of  your  distinguished  orator  yes- 
terday such  testimony  to  the  absence  of  natural  bitter- 
ness among  the  mass  of  the  people  at  the  South ;  that  it 
was  due  in  great  part  to  the  energetic  cultivation  of  hot- 
brained  leaders  for  selfish  ends.  I  think  that  the  nat- 
ural instinct  of  the  people  everywhere  is  toward  peace 
and  good  will,  and  were  it  never  thwarted  by  party 
intrigue,  we  should  be  much  nearer  to  a  perfect  union, 
such  as  these  men  fought  for,  than  we  are  to-day.  The 
occasional  fire-brands  thrown  in  the  path  of  reconcilia- 
tion are  from  the  hands  of  those  who,  while  the  battle 
lasted,  sought  "bomb-proof"  positions  in  the  rear,  and 
they  no  more  represent  the  fighting  men  of  the  South 
than  the  plundering  politicians  who  have  spoiled  them 
represent  the  true  hearts  at  the  North.  I  firmly  be- 
lieve that  when  the  gallant  men  of  Lee's  army  surren- 
dered at  Appomattox  (touched  by  the  delicate  generosity 
of  Grant,  who,  obeying  the  dictates  of  his  own  honest 
heart,  showed  no  less  magnanimity  than  political  sagac- 
ity), they  followed  the  example  of  their  heroic  chief,  and, 
with  their  arms,  laid  down  forever  their  disloyalty  to 
the  Union.  Take  care,  then,  lest  you  repel,  by  injus- 
tice, or  suspicion,  or  even  by  indifference,  the  returning 
love  of  men  who  now  speak  with  pride  of  that  flag  as 
"our  flag."  It  was  to  make  this  a  happy,  reunited 
country,  where  every  man  should  be  in  reality  free  and 
equal  before  the  law,  that  our  comrades  fought,  our 
brothers  fell.  They  died  not  that  New  England  might 
prosper  or  that  the  West  might  thrive.  They  died  not 
to  defend  the  northern  capitol,  or  preserve  those  marble 
nails  where  the  polished  statesmen  of  the  period  conduct 
their  dignified  debates !  They  died  for  their  country  — 


252    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT 

for  the  South  no  less  than  for  the  North.  And  the 
southern  youth,  in  the  days  to  come,  will  see  this,  and 
as  he  stands  in  these  hallowed  halls  and  reads  those 
names,  realizing  the  grandeur  and  power  of  a  country 
which,  thanks  to  them,  is  still  his,  will  exclaim,  "These 
men  fought  for  my  salvation  as  well  as  for  their  own. 
They  died  to  preserve  not  merely  the  unity  of  a  nation, 
but  the  destinies  of  a  continent." 

The  remainder  of  the  year  1874  was  marked 
for  him  only  by  an  accident  which  threatened  to 
disable  his  right  hand.  A  piece  of  broken  glass 
cut  down  to  the  bone  of  the  thumb  joint,  making 
a  severe  and  dangerous  wound.  This  happened 
in  July ;  but  his  recovery  was  rapid,  and  in  spite 
of  his  suffering  he  had  more  appetite  and  less 
cough  than  for  several  weeks  before.  He  was 
very  much  occupied,  but  his  health  seemed  rather 
to  improve  as  the  year  drew  to  its  close. 

In  March,  1875,  he  received  an  invitation  from 
the  committee  which  had  charge  of  the  Centen- 
nial Celebration  at  -Lexington,  to  make  a  speech 
at  their  dinner  on  the  19th  of  April.  His  first 
inclination  was  to  refuse  it.  The  following  ex- 
tracts show  the  course  of  his  thought  upon  the 
subject,  and  the  steps  by  which  he  was  brought 
to  say  that  he  would  accept  the  invitation :  — 

March  25.  I  cannot  think  of  accepting  it.  I  could 
Bay  nothing  worth  going  so  far  to  say,  or  worthy  of  the 
occasion  or  the  audience. 

April  3.  My  difficulty  about  speaking  at  Lexington  is 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.     253 

this :  that  "  the  relations  of  the  North  to  the  South  ' 
cannot  be  discussed  from  any  point  of  view  without  crit- 
icising severely  the  action  of  the  President  and  the  ad- 
ministration party,  who  are  in  a  great  degree  respon- 
sible for  the  unfortunate  situation.  The  President  will 
be  the  chief  guest  of  my  host  on  that  day,  and  to  say 
anything  in  the  slightest  degree  offensive  to  him  would 
be  a  breach  of  taste  and  hospitality. 

April  8.  Everybody  says  I  ought  to  go  to  Lexington, 
and  I  begin  to  think  it  over  to  see  if  I  can  avoid  the 
obstacle  and  still  say  anything  worth  saying  to  such  an 
audience. 

April  15.  Finally  wrote  committee  I  would  be  at 
Lexington  and  say  a  few  words  at  their  dinner.  I  have 
been  in  much  doubt,  and  have  given  the  subject  most 
careful  and  earnest  thought,  and  there  have  come  to  me 
a  few  words  which  I  feel  may  perhaps  fall  on  good 
ground  and  bring  forth  the  fruit  of  peace  and  reconcili- 
ation. For  why  celebrate  the  centennial  of  the  birth  of 
a  nation  if  that  nation  is  still  to  be  divided  and  dis- 
tracted by  sectional  hostility  ;  fostered,  as  I  truly  believe, 
to  a  great  extent,  by  politicians  in  both  sections  for  sel- 
fish or  party  ends.  I  never  could  be  a  politician,  for  I 
should  go  for  my  country  first  and  my  party  second  and 
myself  last.  With  most  of  the  politicians  of  the  day 
this  order  is  reversed. 

April  18.  Worked  on  my  speech.  It  would  be  easy 
to  write  a  long  one,  but  to  condense  into  a  few  minutes 
anything  worth  saying  in  such  a  place,  before  the  whole 
country  as  audience,  is  more  difficult.  It  is  treading  on 
delicate  ground,  but  I  know  I  am  sincere  in  my  belief 
that  what  I  am  to  say  is  for  the  good  of  the  whole  coun- 


254    MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

try,  and  if  I  can  carry  people  with  me  it  will  do  much 
good. 

The  19th  of  April  was  a  bitterly  cold,  dis- 
agreeable day.  The  crowd  at  Lexington  was  im- 
mense, and  the  discomfort  of  the  multitude  was 
excessive.  General  Bartlett  was  utterly  unfit  for 
such  an  exertion  and  exposure,  but  he  was  not 
the  man  to  turn  back.  He  drove  from  Boston  to 
Lexington,  and  spoke  rather  late  in  the  day,  in 
response  to  the  eighth  toast,  "  The  North  and  the 
South."  He  was  chilled  through,  and  faint  from 
want  of  food.  He  spoke  as  follows :  — 

MR.  PRESIDENT,  —  When  I  opened  the  letter  from 
your  committee  asking  me  to  come  from  five  hundred 
miles  away,  and  say  a  few  words  here  to-day,  it  seemed 
impossible.  But  as  I  read  further  your  desire  that  I 
should  speak  on  the  '"relations  of  the  North  to  the 
South,"  and  your  assertion  that,  as  an  unprejudiced  ob- 
server, what  I  might  say  would  help  to  restore  fraternal 
relations  between  the  two  great  sections  of  our  country, 
although  knowing  how  greatly  you  overrated  the  value 
of  any  poor  words  of  mine,  I  felt  that,  if  they  could 
lend  the  least  aid  to  the  result  you  described,  inclination 
and  the  cares  of  business  must  yield  to  the  voice  of 
duty  ;  and  I  came.  But,  sir,  I  am  not  an  "  unprejudiced 
observer."  On  the  contrary,  I  have  a  prejudice,  which 
is  shared  by  all  soldiers,  in  favor  of  peace.  And  I 
think  I  may  safely  say,  that,  between  the  soldiers  of  the 
two  great  sections  of  our  country,  fraternal  relations 
were  established  long  ago.  I  have  also  a  strong  preju- 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    255 

dice  against  any  man  or  men  who  would  divide  or  de- 
stroy or  retard  the  prosperity  and  progress  of  the  na- 
tion, whose  corner-stone  was  laid  in  the  blood  of  our 
fathers  one  hundred  years  ago  to-day.  Moved  by  this 
prejudice,  fourteen  years  ago,  I  opposed  the  men  who 
preferred  disunion  to  death.  True  to  this  prejudice,  I 
to-day  despise  the  men  who  would,  for  the  sake  of  self 
or  party,  stand  in  the  way  of  reconciliation  and  a  united 
country.  The  distinguished  soldier  who  is  your  chief 
guest  to-day  never  came  nearer  to  the  hearts  of  the  peo- 
ple than  when  he  said,  "  Let  us  have  peace."  And,  sir, 
the  only  really  belligerent  people  in  the  country  to-day, 
north  and  south,  are  those  who,  while  the  war  lasted, 
followed  carefully  the  paths  of  peace.  Do  not  believe 
that  the  light  and  dirty  froth  which  is  blown  northward 
and  scattered  over  the  land  (oftentimes  for  malicious 
purposes)  represents  the  true  current  of  public  opinion 
at  the  South.  Look  to  their  heroes,  their  leaders,  — 
their  Gordons,  their  Lees,  their  Johnsons,  Lamar,  Ran- 
som, and  Ripley,  —  and  tell  me  if  you  find  in  their  utter- 
ances anything  but  renewed  loyalty  and  devotion  to  a 
reunited  country.  These  are  the  men,  as  our  great  and 
good  Governor  Andrew  told  you  at  the  close  of  the  war, 
these  are  the  men  by  whom  and  through  whom  you 
must  restore  the  South,  instead  of  the  meaner  men  for 
whom  power  is  only  a  synonym  for  plunder.  As  I 
begged  you  last  summer,  I  entreat  you  again :  do  not 
repel  the  returning  love  of  these  men  by  suspicion  or 
indifference.  If  you  cannot  in  forgiveness  "kill  the 
fatted  calf,"  do  not  with  coldness  kill  "  the  prodigal." 
When  the  Fifty-fourth  Massachusetts  Regiment  made 
its  gallant  attack  on  Fort  Wagner,  in  July,  1863,  it  lost, 


256    MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

with  hundreds  of  its  brave  men,  its  I  eroic  leader  and  ;ts 
colors.  A  few  weeks  ago,  that  flag  was  gracefully  re- 
turned to  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts  by  the  officer 
who  took  it  in  action,  with  these  noble  words  :  — 

"  Under  the  existing  state  of  things,  I  deem  it  deco- 
rous, if  not  a  positive  duty,  to  promote  the  oblivion  of 
animosities  which  led  to,  and  were  engendered  by,  the 
war.  I  prefer  to  look  upon  such  trophies  as  mementoes 
of  the  gallant  conduct  of  men  who,  like  Shaw,  Putnam, 
and  other  sons  of  Massachusetts,  sealed  with  their  lives 
their  devotion  to  the  cause  which  they  adopted,  rather 
than  as  evidences  of  prowess  on  the  one  side  or  the 
other.  The  custodians  of  such  a  memento  should  bo 
the  authorities  of  the  state  served  by  these  gallant  men  ; 
and  I  therefore  transmit  the  flag  to  your  Excellency 
for  such  disposition  as  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts 
shall  determine. 

"  Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  R.  S.  RIPLEY." 

No  one  but  a  soldier  can  know  how  he  would  cling 
to  a  trophy  that  he  had  taken  in  honorable  battle.  No 
one  but  a  soldier  knows  what  it  would  cost  to  give  it  up, 
unless  compelled  by  the  loftier  motives  of  chivalrous 
patriotism.  And  when  General  Ripley  wrote  that  let- 
ter, he  thought  not  of  self,  not  of  South  Carolina  nor  of 
Massachusetts,  but  of  a  restored  and  a  united  country, 
and  his  heart  embraced  a  continent.  There  are  tattered 
flags  in  that  sacred  hall  in  yonder  Capitol,  around  which, 
in  the  shock  of  battle,  I  have  seen  dear  friends  and 
brave  men  fall  like  autumn  leaves.  There  are  flags 
there  that  I  cannot  look  upon  without  tears  of  pride  and 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.     257 

sorrow.  But  there  is  no  flag  there  which  has  to-day 
for  us  a  deeper  significance,  or  that  bears  within  its  folds 
a  brighter  omen  of  "  Peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men," 
than  that  battle-stained  emblem  so  tenderly  restored  by 
a  son  of  South  Carolina,  whom  here,  in  the  name  of  tlie 
soldiers  of  Massachusetts,  I  thank  and  greet  as  a  brother. 
And  I  am  proud  that  he  was  an  American  soldier.  As 
an  American,  I  am  as  proud  of  the  men  who  charged 
so  bravely  with  Pickett's  Division  on  our  lines  at  Gettys- 
burg, as  I  am  of  the  men  who  so  bravely  met  and  re- 
pulsed them  there.  Men  cannot  always  choose  the  right 
cause ;  but  when,  having  chosen  that  which  conscience 
dictates,  they  are  ready  to  die  for  it,  if  they  justify  not 
their  cause,  they  at  least  ennoble  themselves.  And  the 
men  who,  for  conscience'  sake,  fought  against  their  gov- 
ernment at  Gettysburg,  ought  easily  to  be  forgiven  by 
the  sons  of  men  who,  for  conscience'  sake,  fought  against 
their  government  at  Lexington  and  Bunker  Hill. 

Oh,  sir,  as  Massachusetts  was  first  in  war,  so  let  her 
be  first  in  peace,  and  she  shall  forever  be  first  in  the 
hearts  of  her  countrymen.  And  let  us  here  resolve 
that,  true  to  her  ancient  motto,  while  in  war  "  Ense  petit 
placidam"  in  peace  she  demands,  not  only  for  herself, 
but  for  every  inch  of  this  great  country,  "  sub  libertate 
quietem." 

He  left  the  ground  as  soon  as  he  had  finished 
speaking,  and  returned  to  Boston.  He  records  in 
his  journal :  — 

Got  back  to  town  about  8,  well  used  up.    The  British 
certainly  had  their  revenge  on  us  to-day.    We  have  had 
17 


258    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

quite  as  uncomfortable  a  day  as  they  had   a  hundred 
years  ago. 

April  20.  Papers  have  my  speech  in  full,  and  speak 
in  a  very  flattering  way  of  it Every  one  con- 
gratulates me  on  my  speech.  It  is  very  gratifying,  and 
I  am  very  proud  and  happy. 

He  might  well  be  proud  and  happy.  It  falls  to 
the  lot  of  few  to  achieve  such  a  success  as  his  at 
Lexington.  There  are  sentences  in  his  speech 
which  will  linger  long  in  the  memories,  not  only 
of  the  thousands  who  heard  them,  but  of  the  tens 
of  thousands  of  those  who  read  them,  and  recog- 
nized in  the  worn  soldier  who  uttered  them  the 
possessor  of  true  eloquence  and  genuine  love  of 
country. 

On  the  28th  of  April,  the  ex-confederate  sol- 
diers of  Richmond  expressed  their  sense  of  his 
speech  by  giving  him  a  serenade,  at  which  Gen- 
eral Bradley  Johnson  spoke  for  them.  General 
Bartlett  replied  in  a  speech  of  some  length,  from 
which  the  following  paragraph  is  taken  :  — 

"  To  cement  the  Union  on  a  sounder  foundation,  and 
avail  ourselves  of  the  promises  of  the  future,  is  a  solemn 
task,  well  fitted  to  these  centennial  years.  As  soldiers 
who  fought  the  battle  out  in  good  faith,  you  can  wield 
the  strongest  influence  for  peace  and  right.  Your  worst 
enemies  at  the  South  are  the  few  men  here  and  there 
who  talk  more  bravely  than  they  fought,  and  it  is  the 
same  at  the  North ;  but  the  people  there,  tired  of  these 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    259 

politicians,  whose  voice  is  still  for  war,  are  fast  replacing 
them  by  men  of  less  selfish  purposes,  whose  views  are 
bounded  by  no  narrow  lines  of  state,  or  section,  or  party, 
but  who  desire  justice  and  prosperity  for  all.  The  war 
through  which  we  passed  developed  and  proved,  on  both 
sides,  the  noblest  qualities  of  American  manhood.  It 
has  left  to  us  soldiers,  once  foes,  now  friends,  a  memory 
of  hard-fought  fields,  of  fearful  sacrifices,  of  heroic  valor, 
and  has  taught  us  a  lesson  to  be  transmitted  to  our 
children:  that  divided,  we  were  terrible,  —  united,  we 
are  forever  invincible." 

His  speech  was  sent  all  over  the  country  by 
the  Associated  Press.  He  writes  in  his  journal, 
April  30 :  — 

The  papers  in  Massachusetts  and  elsewhere  nominate 
me  for  high  office,  as  if  that  were  the  only  reward  a  man 
can  seek.  I  don't  propose  to  decline  any  office  until  it 
is  offered,  but  just  as  sure  as  I  am  offered  the  governor- 
ship of  Massachusetts,  I  shall  take  the  opportunity  to 
prove  that  the  satisfaction  of  doing  one's  duty  so  as  to 
win  the  applause  and  approval  of  good  men,  is  a  reward 
greater  than  any  office,  and  I  am  already  repaid. 

In  May  of  this  year,  he  was  strongly  urged  to 
go  to  the  Mecklenburg  Centennial  Celebration,  at 
Charlotte,  N.  C.,but  he  declined,  because  troubles 
about  coal  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  leave 
Richmond. 

On  the  6th  of  June,  he  writes  thus  in  his 
Journal :  — 


260    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

My  birthday.  I  hope  if  I  live  to  see  another  that 
affairs  will  look  more  promising.  Business  looks  very 
blue.  I  wish  I  were  out  of  it.  I  never  ought  to  have 
gone  into  it.  I  ought  to  have  stayed  in  the  army,  or 
else  accepted  some  of  the  salaried  positions  that  were 
offered  me.  Or  even  if  I  had  begun  to  study  law 
at  the  end  of  the  war,  I  might  be  better  off  now.  But 
God  knows  best,  and  we  are  in  his  hands.  How  little 
we  know  what  he  has  in  store  for  us  !  He  has  been 
very  indulgent  and  merciful  to  me  in  spite  of  my  many 
shortcomings. 

And  now  this  year,  when  I  supposed  that  public 
applause  and  the  public  approval  of  good  men  was  a 
thing  of  the  past,  I  find  myself  suddenly  more  conspic- 
uous than  ever,  and  honorably  so,  for  saying  at  Lex- 
ington the  words  that  were  in  my  heart,  and  which  I 
believed  would  hasten  the  healing  of  the  wounds  of  war 
in  our  country. 

At  this  time  he  was  much  annoyed  and  made 
very  anxious  by  coal  strikes,  and  these  came  just 
as  he  was  giving  up  his  residence  in  Richmond. 
He  was  quite  worn  out,  and  gave  himself  some 
rest  for  a  fortnight  after  he  reached  the  North ; 
but  he  found  time  to  prepare  a  little  speech  which 
he  had  been  asked  to  make  at  the  approaching 
Commencement  dinner  at  Cambridge.  He  says 
of  it  in  his  journal,  June  28:  "Poor  thing.  I 
will  not  do  it  again.  Let  those  speak  who  can 
easily."  The  following  letter  describes  his  feel- 
ings on  receiving  the  invitation :  — 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    261 

WEST  STOCKBRIDGE,  MASS.,  June  19,  1875. 

....  I  found  in  this  same  batch  of  letters  one  from 
J.  Kussell  Lowell,  asking  me  to  speak  again  at  Com- 
mencement. This  involves,  no  matter  how  small  the 
result,  a  certain  amount  of  thought  and  worry  and  de- 
pression, which  I  do  not  want  to  undergo;  besides,  I 
consider  that  I  have  done  my  share,  and  I  know  I  have 
nothing  more  worth  saying. 

They  ask  me  to  represent  those  who  died  in  the  war. 
I  sometimes  feel  quite  ready  to  be  sent  as  ambassador 
to  them. 

The  rest  of  the  year  1875  was  for  him  a  period 
of  declining  health  and  of  declining  fortunes. 
His  journal  reveals  the  fact  that  he  was  realizing 
with  increasing  clearness  the  fact  that  his  end 
was  approaching.  The  following  extracts  are  in 
place  here :  — 

July  5.  I  am  not  at  all  well,  and  ought  to  keep  still 
and  do  nothing,  but  I  cannot. 

July  14.  Write  little  Edwin.  Dear  little  man,  how 
I  love  him,  and  how  I  wish  I  could  be  spared  long 
enough  to  win  his  love  and  memory.  If  I  were  to  go 

this  year  or  next,  he  would  never  remember  me 

Dear  boy,  how  I  would  like  to  watch  him  grow  up.  I 
would  try  to  guide  and  guard  him  to  be  a  better  man 
than  his  father,  who  loves  him  so  dearly. 

July  15.  No  man  was  ever  blessed  with  such  a  per- 
fect wife  and  lovely  children.  I  pray  their  lives  may 
take  no  shadow  from  those  which  seem  to  hang  about 
mine,  now  too  near  its  close  I  fear. 


262    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

July  19.  Not  much  appetite.  Felt  like  death  yes- 
terday. 

August  2.  A  blue  day  for  me.  I  am  not  strong, 
and  pretty  well  unnerved. 

August  3.     Pretty  well  used  up. 

August  7.  Am  very  tired  and  used  up,  but  can  rest, 
I  hope. 

August  8.  Rest,  rest.  It  is  very  sweet  to  be  here 
with  my  darling  Agnes. 

September  17.  Am  much  better.  Gaining  weight. 
Weight  without  leg,  thin  clothes,  123  pounds. 

December  25.  Christmas.  I  could  not  resist  an  ap- 
peal to  stay  (at  Pittsfield),  as  I  do  not  feel  sure  of  many 
more  of  them. 

These  words  were  prophetic.  It  proved  his 
last  Christmas. 

Until  December  of  this  year,  1875,  when  he 
established  his  family  once  more  at  Pittsfield, 
they  were  most  of  the  time  at  his  uncle's  estate 
of  Miramonte,  on  the  North  River,  and  he  was 
sometimes  there,  sometimes  in  New  York  and 
other  northern  cities,  but  twice  at  least  at  Rich- 
mond, where  he  spent  much  of  the  months  of  July 
and  September.  The  panic  of  1873,  which  ar- 
rested so  suddenly  and  sharply  the  seeming  pros- 
perity of  the  country,  had  affected  the  iron  in- 
terest with  especial  severity.  The  capital  which 
General  Bartlett  could  command  was  mainly  em- 
barked in  the  iron  enterprises  at  West  Stock- 
Oridge  and  at  Richmond,  and  his  distress  of  body 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    263 

was  aggravated  by  the  distress  of  mind  which  at- 
tended the  mortification  of  failure  and  the  pressure 
of  narrowing  means.  He  labored  with  all  the 
vigor  that  was  left  him  to  bring  about  a  better 
state  of  things,  but  in  vain.  He  went  to  the 
length  of  endorsing  individually  the  paper  of  the 
Richmond  Company  to  get  time. 

While  health  and  fortune  were  thus  declining, 
his  life  was  not  without  pleasant  incidents  and 
gratifying  proofs  of  the  growing  regard  of  his 
fellow  citizens.  The  latter  will  receive  more  de- 
tailed notice,  but  among  the  former  may  be  men- 
tioned his  appearance  as  a  speaker  upon  four 
occasions.  At  the  reunion  of  his  old  regiment, 
the  Forty-ninth  Massachusetts  Infantry,  on  the 
9th  of  September,  he  spoke  as  follows :  — 

COMRADES,  —  To  call  on  me  for  a  speech  at  one  of 
these  reunions  seems  to  me  like  calling  on  the  father  of 
a  family  to  make  a  formal  address  to  his  children  at  his 
own  table.  For  though  you  have  outgrown  my  author- 
ity, you  were  my  children  once,  and  I  fear  that  you  re- 
member me  as  a  rather  "  stern  parent." 

I  certainly  never  was  accused  of  "  sparing  the  rod " 
of  discipline,  and  I  hope  you  never  were  accused  of  being 
"  spoiled  children." 

I  have  no  doubt  that  in  the  early  part  of  your  service, 
and  on  your  first  marches,  you  thought  your  Colonel 
was  unnecessarily  strict  and  severe.  You  could  not  see 
why  you  were  not  permitted  the  same  license  that  other 
regiments  in  your  vicinity  had. 


264    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

But  in  your  first  battle,  when  you  found  yourselves 
standing  firm  under  fire,  while  some  of  those  other  regi- 
ments broke  and  ran  away,  and  where  by  your  coolness 
and  discipline  you  turned  defeat  into  victory,  you  recog- 
nized the  result  where  you  had  not  understood  the  cause, 
and  you  were  from  that  day  as  proud  of  yourselves  and 
your  regiment  as  I  was. 

The  Forty-ninth  was  a  peculiarly  homogeneous  regi- 
ment. I  mean  by  that,  there  was  less  inequality  among 
its  members  and  between  its  men  and  their  officers  than 
was  usual.  It  was  strictly  a  county  regiment  (I  believe 
there  was  not  a  man  in  it  from  outside  of  Berkshire), 
and  this  gave  it  a  certain  local  pride  and  "  esprit  de 
corps  "  that  was  very  valuable. 

But  the  secret  of  your  success  was  that  proof  of  true 
manhood,  your  cheerful  and  intelligent  submission  to 
discipline,  the  subjugation  of  self  to  an  idea.  Not 
cringing  to  a  man  (your  equal  or  perhaps  inferior  at 
home)  because  he  wore  a  shoulder-strap,  but  subjecting 
yourself  to  that  emblem  of  authority  without  any  loss 
of  self  respect,  because  it  was  for  the  good  of  the  ser- 
vice, and  for  the  sake  of  the  country  in  whose  service  you 
were  offering  your  lives.  This  was  the  nobility  of  your 
soldiership,  and  its  memory  must  ever  be  your  pride. 

At  the  dedication  of  the  Public  Library  in  his 
native  town  of  Haverhill,  November  11,  1875,  he 
spoke  as  follows  :  — 

LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN,  FELLOW-CITIZENS  OP 
HAVERHILL, —  Standing  as  this  beautiful  structure  does 
on  land  formerly  my  ancestor's,  within  speaking  dis- 
«ance,  across  the  way,  of  the  house  were  I  was  born,  I 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    265 

think  I  may  still  claim  fellowship  here.  It  would  be 
quite  natural  that  you  should  forget  the  relationship, 
but  to  me  it  is  a  matter  of  such  pride  that  I  never  can. 
And  I  am  prouder  than  ever  to-day  of  my  native  town. 
Proud  of  her  history ;  proud  of  her  historic  names ; 
proud  of  the  men,  some  of  whom  I  see  about  me,  who 
have  inherited  and  added  honor  to  those  names ;  proud 
of  her  noble  war  record  (which  might  have  been  pre- 
dicted by  any  one  familiar  with  her  colonial  and  revolu- 
tionary history)  ;  proud  of  her  noble  women,  who  in  those 
trying  times  proved  themselves  worthy  of  their  noble 
ancestry;  proud  of  her  "sweet  singer"  of  the  Merrimack, 
our  own  beloved  Whittier,  whose  absence  to-day  we 
regret,  but  whose  words  you  have  heard,  and  whose 
pure  spirit  and  gentle  verse  shall  be  a  benediction  here, 
while  the  peace-makers  go  to  "  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  and  "the  pure  in  heart"  to  "see  God;"  proud 
of  her  material  prosperity  and  wealth ;  but  prouder  still 
that  she  here  recognizes  the  fact  that  there  is  something 
worth  more  than  riches,  and  that  culture,  refinement  and 
the  dissemination  of  knowledge,  are  more  to  be  desired 
than  silver  and  gold. 

I  am  glad  that  you  are  to  have  a  free  library,  abso- 
lutely free,  and  I  will  tell  you  why.  It  is  found  that  a 
tax,  however  small  and  insignificant  it  might  seem  to 
many  of  you,  would  debar  some  from  using  the  library, 
and  those,  the  very  people  in  whose  hands  we  ought  to 
place  our  books.  When  the  public  library  in  Pittsfield 
was  opened  to  subscribers  at  the  low  rate  of  one  dollar 
a  year,  the  number  of  book-takers  was  four  hundred. 
"When  the  library  became  free,  as  it  now  is,  the  number 
increased  to  nearly  two  thousand,  and  is  constantly 


266    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

growing.  This  in  a  town  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants. 
Now,  in  regard  to  the  class  of  books  to  be  kept  for.  cir- 
culation, some  believe  that  nothing  but  what  is  called 
the  better  class  of  literature,  instructive  works,  classics, 
should  be  sent  out,  in  order  to  elevate  the  taste  of  the 
people.  This,  I  think,  is  a  mistake.  It  is  like  telling  a 
boy  he  shan't  go  into  the  water  till  he  knows  how  to  swiin. 
First  create  the  taste,  then  elevate  it  as  you  can.  If  the 
boy  can't  read  the  kind  of  books  that  interest  him,  he 
simply  won't  read  at  all.  Exclude  novels  from  your 
library,  and  see  how  the  circulation  will  dwindle.  The 
explanation  of  this  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  if  one 
has  a  taste  for  poetry  or  classic  prose,  he  buys  the  vol- 
ume if  his  means  permit,  for  he  wants  it  always  by  him. 
The  novel  he  reads  and  has  no  further  use  for,  and  so 
he  takes  it  from  the  library.  Do  you  ask  how  low  in 
the  scale  I  would  go  ?  To  the  very  bottom,  of  course  ex- 
cluding any  immoral  trash.  I  would  have  the  "  Dime 
Novels,"  by  all  means.  They  are  highly  sensational,  but 
morally  harmless.  My  own  reading  has  not  been  ex- 
tensive enough  to  embrace  these  works,  but  my  informa- 
tion comes  from  one  of  the  foremost  critics  and  essayists 
in  this  country,  who  has  given  much  thought  to  this 
subject  in  connection  with  the  great  public  library  of 
Boston.  And  now  let  me  tell  you  a  little  story  about 
the  effect  of  thus  putting  the  scale  of  reading  down  to 
the  capacity  of  the  poorest  and  youngest.  A  dirty, 
ragged  little  boy  crawled  into  the  public  library  of  Bos- 
ton, a  few  years  ago,  and  asked  for  a  dime  novel.  The 
superintendent  told  him  if  he  would  go  and  wash  his 
face  and  hands  and  brush  the  dirt  from  his  clothes,  he 
tfould  give  him  the  coveted  book.  The  boy  soon  after 


MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    267 

returned,  much  improved  in  appearance,  and  received  a 
dime  novel.  The  next  day  he  came  for  another,  —  tak- 
ing care  to  appear  cleaner  than  before,  —  and  became  a 
regular  applicant.  A  few  years  afterwards,  a  young  man 
applied  to  the  superintendent  for  a  certain  rare  edition 
of  Shakespeare,  which  was  not  in  the  collection,  and  on 
conversing  on  the  subject,  he  found  that  the  young  man 
knew  more  about  the  various  editions  of  Shakespeare 
than  he  himself  did.  It  was  the  boy  to  whom  he  had 
issued  the  dime  novel,  a  few  years  before,  and  the  last 
book  that  the  librarian  noticed  as  being  taken  out  by 
him  was  Paley's  "  Moral  Philosophy."  Now,  I  don't 
mean  to  say  that  every  boy  who  begins  on  dime  novels 
will  rise  to  Paley.  But  I  do  insist  that  if  that  boy 
could  not  have  had  the  dime  novel  at  that  time,  he 
would  never  have  read  Paley  or  discussed  the  editions 
of  Shakespeare. 

And  it  is  for  this  reason  that  we  should  make  our 
public  libraries  attractive,  not  only  to  the  scholar,  but  to 
the  very  lowest  and  poorest,  and  give  to  all  who  come, 
not  only  the  sense  of  welcome,  but  the  sense  of  equality, 
also.  For,  as  Ruskin  has  so  well  said,  this  court  of 
the  past,  where  kings  and  statesmen  and  poets,  the 
purest  and  the  wisest  of  all  ages,  stand  waiting  patiently 
in  those  silent  alcoves  to  talk  with  and  instruct  us  when- 
ever we  will,  differs  from  other  courts  and  living  aristoc- 
racies. Into  this  society  of  the  great  and  good  of  every 
age  and  clime,  the  lowliest  may  enter,  take  rank  and 
fellowship,  not  from  his  birth  and  wealth,  or  lack  of 
either,  but  according  to  his  desire.  It  is  open  to  labor 
and  to  merit,  but  to  nothing  else.  No  wealth  can  bribe, 
no  artifice  deceive,  no  title  overawe,  the  guardians  of 


268    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

those  elysian  gates.  You  deserve  to  enter  because  you 
desire  to  enter.  And  so  I  say  we  should  try  to  attract 
especially  the  young  and  poor  and  friendless.  For,  the 
lower  we  go  in  laying  the  foundation  of  modern  society 
by  imparting  knowledge,  or  creating  a  desire  for  it, 

"  Since  but  to  wish  more  virtue  is  to  gain," 
the  safer  aud  nobler  will  be  the  structure  above. 

And  if  this  library,  founded,  sir,  by  your  liberality 
and  wisdom,  shall  be  the  means  of  raising  only  one  of 
these  little  ones  from  ignorance,  poverty,  and  crime,  to 
knowledge,  which  is  wealth,  to  civilization  and  to  God, 
you  shall,  one  day,  hear  the  words,  "  Well  done,"  from 
the  lips  of  Him  who  said  :  "Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 
it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have 
done  it  unto  me." 

And  in  introducing  Mr.  Schurz  to  an  audience 
collected  at  Pittsfield  on  the  27th  of  the  same 
month,  as  follows  :  — 

It  would  be  a  poor  expression  of  the  love  and  respect 
I  have  for  the  people  of  Berkshire,  so  largely  repre- 
sented here  to-night,  were  I  to  fulfil  the  promise  which 
I  see  has  been  made  for  me,  and  delay  you  with  an  in- 
troductory speech  in  the  presence  of  the  man  whom  you 
have  come  to  welcome  and  listen  to.  It  would  be  only 
a  little  less  superfluous  than  the  introduction  itself  which 
I  have  been  asked  to  make. 

When  Daniel  Webster  introduced  William  Wirt,  then 
Attorney-general  of  the  United  States,  to  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Massachusetts,  in  1829,  Mr.  Wirt,  in  rising, 
Baid  that  Mr.  Webster  had  laid  him  under  an  obligation 
tfhich  he  could  never  hope  to  repay;  for  he  was  quite 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    269 

sure  that  he  could  never  introduce  Mr.  Webster  to  any 
court  where  his  name  and  fame  had  not  already  pre- 
ceded him. 

I  am  equally  sure  that  Mr.  Schurz  cannot  appear  be- 
fore any  audience  of  cultivated  people,  anywhere  in  this 
country  of  his  adoption,  where  his  name  is  not  familiar, 
and  his  fame  held  dear. 

Now,  why  is  this? 

Not  because  of  his  early  history,  so  romantic,  so 
heroic ;  not  because,  when  war  in  this  country  became 
inevitable,  he  went  to  the  field  and  defended  with  his 
sword  the  principles  which  he  had  asserted  and  main- 
tained with  his  pen ;  not  because  he  has  held  the  high 
office  of  Senator  of  the  United  States ;  but  it  is  because, 
while  holding  that  sacred  trust,  he  dared  to  remonstrate 
with  and  oppose  those  leaders,  or  rather  misleaders,  of 
the  organization  to  which  he  belonged,  when  it  became 
evident  that  they  intended  to  use  the  country  for  party 
ends,  rather  than  the  party  for  their  country's  good.  It 
is  because  he  placed  principle  higher  than  party,  and  for 
the  sake  of  right,  honor,  justice,  and  common  sense,  was 
willing  to  sacrifice  self,  place,  power,  and  the  friendships 
of  years ;  his  only  consolation,  the  pleasure,  to  which 
Lord  Bacon  has  said  no  other  can  be  compared,  "  that 
of  standing  on  the  vantage  ground  of  truth."  It  is  be- 
cause when  this  same  party,  fearing  defeat  this  fall  in 
the  great  State  of  Ohio,  called  on  him  to  come  over  and 
help  it,  he  did  not  stop  to  debate  whether  he  ought  to 
support  a  party  which  had  insulted  and  driven  from  its 
councils  such  men  as  Carl  Schurz  and  Charles  Sumner, 
but,  seeing  that  upon  the  great  issue  then  before  the  peo- 
ple, the  party  (whether  from  conviction  or  policy  ha 


270    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

cared  not)  was  right,  that  the  honor  and  safety  of  the 
nation  was  in  danger,  he  needed  no  second  call,  but 
hastening  to  the  front  at  a  critical  moment,  when  the 
result  seemed  most  doubtful,  when  the  party  politicians 
were  talking  over  "  war  issues "  and  quibbling  over 
"school  questions,"  and  all  felt  that 

"  One  blast  upon  his  bugle  horn 
Were  worth  a  thousand  men  " 

such  as  they,  he  threw  the  weight  of  his  eloquence  and 
the  conviction  of  his  sincerity  into  the  scale,  and  turned 
a  threatened  defeat  into  glorious  victory.  A  victory, 
which,  in  this  part  of  the  country,  I  am  proud  to  say, 
gave  equal  joy  to  both  political  parties.  A  victory 
which  buried  the  weightless  body  of  "  inflation "  in 
a  grave — "not  so  deep  as  a  well,  nor  so  wide  as  a 
church  door,"  —  but  deep  enough  and  wide  enough  to 
receive  the  remains  of  any  party  which  shall  hereafter 
attempt  its  resurrection. 

I  have  trespassed  too  long  on  your  patience,  and  our 
friend's  modesty.  Mr.  Schurz,  you  need  no  introduction 
here ;  but  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  introduce  to  you 
this  assembly  of  my  friends,  your  fellow-citizens  of  Berk- 
shire, whose  sincere  welcome,  if  not  at  their  fingers' 
ends,  awaits  you  more  deeply  in  their  hearts. 

At  the  dinner  of  the  New  England  Society  in 
New  York,  on  Forefathers'  Day,  December  22, 
1875,  he  replied  as  follows  to  the  toast,  "  The 
Reconstructed  Republic :  "  — 

Five  and  twenty  years  ago  to-night  you  had  as  your 
honored  guest  that  great  son  of  New  England,  whose 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.     271 

love  for  her  was  only  equaled  by  his  love  for  the  whole 
country,  and  his  devotion  to  the  Constitution  and  Union 
under  which  it  had  advanced  to  power  and  prosperity. 
There  are  those  here  to-night,  I  doubt  not,  who,  looking 
back  a  quarter  of  a  century,  will  recall  the  presence  and 
perhaps  the  words  of  Daniel  Webster.  They  will  re- 
member how  in  imagination  he  summoned  forth  from 
the  Mayflower's  company  the  form  of  Elder  William 
Brewster,  and  put  into  his  mouth  words  of  gratulation, 
of  caution,  and  of  prophecy.  We,  too,  on  this  anniver- 
sary night,  call  forth  in  our  imagination  his  own  majestic 
form,  but  who  shall  presume  to  put  words  into  those 
lips  ?  I  shudder  at  the  presumption  which  leads  me  to 
say  to  him  for  you  with  plain  sincerity  what  so  many 
among  you  might  express  with  eloquence  as  well  as 
truth.  I  would  tell  him  that  in  days  gone  by  we  have 
thanked  God  that  when  his  eyes  were  "  turned  to  behold 
for  the  last  time  the  sun  in  heaven,"  they  did  not  see 
him  shining  on  the  broken  fragments  of  a  once  glorious 
Union,  on  a  land  drenched  with  fraternal  blood.  It  was 
reserved  for  us  who  survived  him  to  see  the  awful  re- 
ality which  he  so  vividly  pictured,  and,  happily,  it  was 
reserved  for  us  to  pass  through  and  see  the  light  beyond 
those  clouds  which  darkened  his  fading  vision.  I  would 
have  him  know  what  I  hope  it  is  neither  too  early  nor 
too  late  for  us  to  acknowledge,  that  the  doctrines  which 
he  instilled  by  the  charm  of  his  eloquence  into  the  young 
hearts  of  New  England  and  the  North,  that  this  their 
country  was  not  a  group  of  states,  but  a  nation,  great 
and  indivisible,  had  filled  them  with  a  spirit  of  exalted 
patriotism,  which,  when  the  hour  of  that  country's  trial 
came,  carried  them  to  the  field  as  it  would  have  carried 


272    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLLTT. 

them  to  the  stake  in  her  defense ;  not  joyously,  for  their 
country  was  in  danger,  and  it  meant  civil  war,  but  stead- 
fastly, soberly,  and  with  the  determination  that,  since  the 
appeal  to  the  sword  had  been  made,  by  the  sword  should 
be  settled  forever  the  question  which,  since  the  death  of 
Washington,  had  been  a  stumbling-block  of  offense  in 
the  path  of  the  nation's  progress.  If  I  know  anything 
of  the  motives  of  the  soldiers  of  New  England,  they 
fought  neither  for  glory  nor  for  conquest,  and,  when  the 
broken  sword  of  secession  was  surrendered  in  good  faith, 
none  were  more  ready  than  they  to  accept  the  pledge  in 
equal  honor,  to  bind  up  the  dreadful  wounds  of  war,  and 
welcome  their  brothers  back  to  a  share  in  the  glory  of  a 
nation  whose  very  existence  that  victory  had  made  pos- 
sible. I  would  have  him  know  that  from  his  own  New 
England  came  the  first  words  of  reconciliation,  which, 
yielding  not  one  particle  of  principle,  assured  a  brave 
foe  that  all  enmity  had  ceased  "  when  the  war-drum 
throbbed  no  longer,  and  the  battle-flags  were  furled ; " 
that  the  thunder  of  those  morning  guns,  saluting  the 
dawn  of  our  second  century  on  the  field  of  Lexington 
and  Concord,  broke  the  ice  of  estrangement  and  distrust, 
and  their  echoes  are  still  vibrating  among  the  chords 
that  stretch  from  every  battle-field  of  the  Revolution  to 
every  American  heart. 

Mighty  son  of  New  England,  what  fitter  greeting 
can  we  give  thee  than  thine  own  words  uttered  here  so 
long  age?  Words  which,  with  thy  foreboding  heart, 
were  the  aspiration  of  hope,  but  to  us  have  become  the 
inspiration  of  prophecy :  "  The  day-spring  from  on  high 
has  visited  us.  The  country  has  been  called  back  to 
conscience  and  duty.  There  is  no  longer  imminent 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    273 

Danger  of  dissolution  in  these  United  States.  We  shall 
live  and  not  die.  We  shall  live  as  united  Americans, 
and  those  who  have  supposed  they  could  sever  us,  that 
they  could  rend  one  American  heart  from  another,  and 
that  speculation  and  hypothesis,  that  secession  and  meta- 
physics, could  tear  us  asunder,  will  find  themselves  wo- 
fully  mistaken.  Americans,  North  and  South,  will  be 
hereafter  more  and  more  united ;  united  now,  and  united 
forever." 

The  following  letter  refers  to  the  foregoing 
speech. 

N.  T.  HOTEL,  December  23,  1875. 

I  did  not  do  anything  about  my  speech  early  enough 
to  send  it  to  you.  Indeed  I  did  n't  feel  sure  that  I  was 
to  speak  till  I  went  there  last  evening,  and  found  myself 
marched  in  next  the  President,  Sherman,  Governor 
Morgan,  and  Joe  Choate.  What  I  had  prepared,  after 
a  good  deal  of  thought,  fitted  well  enough  the  toast  I 
was  given,  of  a  "  Reconstructed  Republic." 

But  what  I  wanted  your  advice  on  was  the  propriety 
of  introducing  Daniel  Webster  (as  I  found  it  was  in 
1850,  at  their  dinner,  he  made  his  great  speech,  from 
which  I  quote),  and  whether  it  was  too  early,  or  too 
late,  to  pay  a  little  tribute  to  his  fame,  which  at  the  last 
had  been  clouded,  and  to  the  influence  which  I  have 
always  believed  he  exerted  in  creating  and  consolidating 
the  intense  Union  feeling  at  the  North,  without  which 
the  war  never  could  have  been  carried  through.  The 
speech  was  very  well  received,  and  I  had  many  con- 
gratulations. I  delivered  it  very  well,  although  my  voice 
was  a  little  hoarse.  You  see  how  I  talk  to  you,  as  I 
18 


274    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

would  to  no  one  else  but  to  Agnes,  about  myself,  be- 
cause I  feel  so  sure  of  your  love  that  I  think  what  con- 
cerns me  will  interest  you. 

Yours  ever,        FRANK  B. 

Though  the  proofs  of  the  esteem  in  which  he 
was  held  by  his  fellow-citizens,  which  have  been 
already  mentioned  as  received  by  him  in  this 
year,  were  gratifying,  yet,  as  it  happened,  they 
caused  him  no  small  embarrassment.  In  Septem- 
ber, he  was  offered  the  Democratic  nomination 
for  the  place  of  Lieutenant-governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts. His  earlier  sympathies  had  inclined 
strongly  to  the  Democratic  side.  The  conduct  of 
the  Democratic  party  during  the  war  had  turned 
his  sympathies  the  other  way,  and  for  some  years 
after  the  close  of  the  war  he  had  acted  generally 
with  the  Republican  party.  Of  late,  in  common 
with  many  of  the  best  men  at  the  North,  he  had 
become  excessively  dissatisfied  with  the  conduct 
of  the  Republicans,  especially  in  their  treatment 
of  the  South.  But  he  was  always  a  man  who 
cared  more  for  substance  than  for  names,  more 
for  principles  than  for  platforms,  and  he  had 
formed  an  enthusiastic  admiration  for  the  char- 
acter of  Mr.  Charles  Francis  Adams.  He  thought 
that  Mr.  Adams  might  receive  the  Republican 
nomination  for  Governor,  and  his  feeling  for  him 
was  such  that  he  was  personally  unwilling  to  be  a 
candidate  upon  a  ticket  opposed  to  him,  and,  upon 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    275 

the  supposition  that  his  name  would  lend  strength 
to  the  Democratic  ticket,  he  was  unwilling  to  con- 
tribute to  the  defeat  of  the  very  man  whose  elec- 
tion he  ardently  desired.  Thus,  though  inclined 
on  other  grounds  to  accept  the  nomination,  he 
notified  the  Democratic  managers  on  the  18th, 
two  days  after  hearing  from  them,  that  he  would 
not  be  a  candidate. 

On  the  23d,  the  Democratic  Convention  met, 
and  nominated  General  Bartlett  for  Lieutenant- 
governor  with  great  enthusiasm  and  very  flatter- 
ing resolutions.  This  action  placed  him  in  a  dif- 
ficult position,  for  it  is  a  very  different  thing  to 
decline  the  nomination  of  a  convention  which  has 
assembled,  acted,  and  dissolved,  from  what  it  is  to 
decline,  beforehand,  to  accept  a  nomination.  In 
much  perplexity,  —  urged  by  valued  friends  to  take 
the  nomination  and  to  decline  it,  assured  by  the 
general  voice  of  the  newspapers  of  the  day  that 
his  name  would  give  great  strength  to  the  ticket, 
—  unable,  as  all  men  were  that  autumn,  to  form 
a  reasonably  confident  conjecture  as  to  what  the 
action  of  the  Republican  Convention  (which  was 
to  assemble  the  following  week)  would  be  —  he 
determined  to  keep  his  own  counsel  till  he  should 
receive  official  notice  of  his  nomination,  hoping 
that  in  the  time  thus  gained  the  Republican  Con- 
vention might  meet,  and  by  its  action  clear  the 
way  so  that  he  might  wisely  shape  his  own  course. 
There  was  one  candidate  who  was  said  to  have 


276    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

some  chance  of  receiving  the  Republican  nomina- 
tion, whom  he  was  as  eager  to  see  fail  as  he  was 
to  see  Mr.  Adams  succeed.  If  the  Republicans 
should  nominate  either  of  these  two,  his  course 
would  be  clear. 

On  the  28th  of  September,  he  went  to  Wash- 
ington, in  compliance  with  a  request  which  he  re- 
ceived by  telegraph,  and  there  learned  that  some 
of  the  most  powerful  managers  of  the  Republi- 
can party  in  Massachusetts  desired  him  to  take 
the  Republican  nomination  for  Governor.  There 
was  much  chance  of  his  receiving  the  nomination 
if  he  permitted  his  name  to  be  used,  and  if  he 
were  nominated  he  was  reasonably  certain  of  be- 
ing elected.  How  he  received  the  offer  may  best 
be  told  in  his  own  words.  In  his  journal  of  the 
same  date  he  writes :  — 

I  was  dreadfully  disturbed,  but  it  seemed  to  me  it 
would  look  very  dirty  to  go  back  on  the  Democrats 
after  what  they  had  done,  and  accept  a  higher  office 
from  the  Republicans.  It  would  look  like  selling  my- 
self to  the  highest  bidder.  Then  it  might  be  used  to 
defeat  Mr.  Adams's  nomination.  It  was  a  temptation, 
but  I  decided,  after  much  prayerful  thought,  that,  under 
the  circumstances,  I  ought  to  decline,  and  W.  so  tel- 
egraphed to  Worcester.  Was  any  man  ever  placed  in 
just  such  a  position  before  ?  Came  home  to-day,  wor- 
ried greatly. 

Three  days  after,  he  wrote  the  following  let- 
ter:  — 


MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.    277 

RICHMOND,  VA.,  October  1, 1875. 

What  would  I  not  give  for  an  hour's  talk  with  you. 
I  never  needed  the  advice  and  support  of  a  real  friend 
as  I  have  for  the  past  ten  days.  In  the  first  place,  I 
was  offered,  just  as  I  was  leaving  Pittsfield,  and  urged 
strongly  to  accept,  the  nomination  of  Lieutenant-gov- 
ernor at  the  approaching  Democratic  Convention.  I 
considered  the  matter  carefully,  and  decided  that  while 
there  was  a  chance  of  Mr.  Adams  being  nominated  by 
the  Republicans,  I  could  not  run  the  risk  of  being  on  the 
opposite  ticket ;  but  I  admitted  that  if  Loring  succeeded 
in  capturing  the  nomination,  I  would  be  willing  to  serve 
for  the  sake  of  smashing  him.  Of  this  course  I  had 
no  doubt.  I  therefore  wrote  and  telegraphed  from  New 
York,  September  18th,  four  days  before  the  convention, 
that  I  was  compelled  to  decline  the  honor.  The  next 
thing,  I  saw  to  my  surprise  that  they  had  nominated  me 
in  a  very  handsome  and  enthusiastic  manner,  recognizing 
the  fact  that  I  am  not  a  Democrat,  and  that  they  thrust 
the  honor  upon  me.  (In  short,  they  were  willing  to 
take  the  risk  of  my  declining,  in  the  hope  that  Loring 
would  be  nominated,  or  some  man  whom  I  could  not 
support.)  I  determined  to  await  the  result  of  the  Re- 
publican Convention,  as  I  had  no  official  notice  of  my 
nomination,  and  could  not  decline  again  till  I  bad. 

If  Adams  had  been  nominated,  my  course  was  plain, 
—withdraw  at  once  on  being  notified.  This  would 
have  been  expected  by  the  Democrats  and  acquiesced 
in.  If  Loring  had  been  nominated  my  course  was 
equally  plain,  —  accept  the  nomination.  As  Rice  has 
oeen  nominated,  I  am  in  doubt.  My  withdrawal  now 
will  not  be  expected  by  the  Democrats,  and  will  no 


278     MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

doubt  give  them  great  offense,  as  it  will  seriously  iujure 
their  prospects,  if  I  may  believe  what  they  say. 

I  do  not  look  upon  the  office  with  the  contempt  that 
you  express.  It  is  an  honorable  position,  of  no  great 
responsibility  or  pecuniary  reward;  but  the  estimate 
which  my  friends  put  upon  my  abilities  and  deserts  is 
so  much  greater  than  I  know  to  be  true,  that  I  would 
much  rather  take  an  office  that  I  could  fill  with  honor, 
than  be  honored  by  one  that  I  could  not  fill  with  satis- 
faction to  myself  or  my  friends. 

The  office  would  give  me  no  trouble  or  anxiety,  and 
would  give  me  an  insight  into  public  life  that  would  be 
valuable  if  I  ever  expect  to  fill  a  more  responsible  posi- 
tion. 

It  would  give  me  a  satisfactory  way  of  withdrawing 
from  the  grinding  anxiety  of  this  work  here,  and  settle 
the  question  of  continuing  a  residence  here.  If  this  fur- 
nace stops,  I  should  not  have  any  salary  from  it.  When 
the  West  Stockbridge  furnace  stops,  it  will  be  very 
small,  I  should  think,  if  any,  that  I  should  feel  justified 
in  taking.  You  see  this  office  (if  elected)  would  give 
me  something  to  live  on  in  Pittsfield  in  a  quiet  way, 
while  I  should  be  in  a  better  position  to  find  some  morp 
remunerative  work  to  do.  The  idea  of  running  for 
office  is,  I  confess,  distasteful  to  me,  but  one  cannot  dic- 
tate his  fortune  and  preferences. 

As  a  matter  of  principle,  there  is  no  issue  between 
the  two  parties.  The  platforms  are  the  same.  It  seems 
to  me  that  by  strengthening  the  hard  money  Demo- 
ciats,  we  may  help  them  overthrow  this  western  lunacy 
which  threatens  to  rule  the  country.  I  have  a  very  ur- 
gent letter  from  Judge  Abbott,  in  which  he  says  I  will 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    279 

bear  him  witness  that  previously,  when  they  have  offered 
me  the  nomination  for  Governor,  although  for  the  sake 
of  his  party  he  would  have  liked  it,  he  did  not  urge  me, 
and  agreed  with  me  that  it  was  better  for  me  to  decline ; 
now,  he  says,  the  thing  is  entirely  changed,  and  he  has 
given  the  subject  the  careful  thought  that  he  would  if  it 
were  his  own  son,  and  he  urges  me  as  he  would  Henry 
under  similar  circumstances.  He  says  that  it  will  make 
me  Governor  next  year,  or  put  me  on  the  national  ticket 
as  Vice-president. 

(I  don't  want  to  be  Governor,  and  the  other  is  almost 
as  likely  to  happen  as  I  am  to  be  struck  by  lightning, 
but  not  quite.)  They  do  not  influence  me.  But  will 
the  offense  that  my  withdrawal  will  certainly  give  to  a 
large  body  of  my  fellow-citizens  (although  I  am  blame- 
less in  the  matter),  injure  me  more  than  my  acceptance 
of  the  place  will  with  another  body  of  my  fellow-cit- 
izens ?  If  I  have  character  and  reputation  enough  to 
be  thought  worthy  of  a  higher  place,  cannot  that  char- 
acter sustain  the  shock  of  my  taking  and  filling  a  lower 
one? 

I  write  down  these  thoughts  as  they  have  come  up  in 
my  mind,  not  clearly,  perhaps,  or  in  order,  but  to  show 
you  some  of  the  motives  that  must  govern  me.  I  want 
to  do  what  is  right  in  the  matter,  and  what,  in  the  end, 
will  be  best  for  me. 

Do  you  think  I  would  be  elected  if  I  ran  ?  Do  you 
believe  I  could  be  elected  even  if  Gaston  were  not? 
/  should  not  do  any  work  for  myself  or  the  ticket. 

If  you  have  no  particle  of  doubt  as  to  what  is  best  for 
me  personally,  without  looking  at  it  as  a  Republican  or 
a  Democrat,  telegraph  me  Monday,  for  I  must  reply  at 
once  on  receipt  of  their  notification,  if  I  decline. 


280     MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

If  you  have  doubts,  write  me  your  views,  with  the  de- 
cision you  incline  to,  and  please  don't  feel  any  more 
bored  than  you  can  help  by  this  infliction. 

Ever  yours,  W.  F.  B. 

Excuse  this  hastily  written  sheet.  After  reading  this, 
I  am  inclined  to  tell  you  in  strictest  confidence,  of  an- 
other thing  that  has  helped  to  perplex  and  disturb  me 
this  week.  I  was  summoned  to  Washington  by  tele- 
graph Tuesday,  and  there  it  was  proposed  to  me  by 
authority  that  I  should  allow  my  name  to  be  brought 
before  the  Republican  Convention  for  Governor,  after 
the  first  or  second  ballot,  with  proper  speech,  etc.,  and 
be  carried  by  acclamation.  This  from  the  highest 
authority.  I  was  staggered  for  a  minute,  but  it  seemed 
to  me  so  much  like  a  bribe,  and  that  it  would  have  the 
appearance  of  selling  myself  to  the  highest  bidder, 
holding  the  Democratic  nomination  till  I  saw  what  the 
Republicans  would  do,  that  I  declined,  and  a  pre-ar- 
ranged telegram  in  cipher  was  sent  to  Worcester  that 
night,  before  the  convention. 

Another  fear  I  had  was,  that  my  name  might  be  used 
to  head  off  Mr.  Adams  in  the  convention,  for  I  knew 
that  these  people,  though  they,  in  their  distress,  would, 
as  a  last  resort,  turn  to  Adams,  would  much  rather  have 
me  if  that  would  satisfy  the  clamor  (as  I  would  not  be 
so  unapproachable,  I  suppose). 

But,  Frank,  think  of  the  triumph  that  filled  my 
secret  heart  when  the  Republican  party  managers  came 
to  me  (three  years  after  1872,  when  I  predicted  what 
has  come  to  them,  and  urged  them  to  come  up  higher), 
•—came  to  me,  and  begged  me  to  go  on  their  ticket  to 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    281 

save  Massachusetts  to  the  Republican  party!  Do  you 
wonder  that  I  was  disturbed  ?  Don't  you  agree  with 
me,  that  it  would  have  appeared  mean,  and  black,  al- 
though it  could  be  proved  that  it  was  not?  Still  one 
would  n't  like  to  be  tried  for  theft  or  adultery  even 
though  he  were  sure  of  acquittal.  Only  you  and  four 
other  men  and  Agues  know  this,  so  mum  !  unless  you 
hear  it  from  other  sources.  Yours,  F. 

Mr.  Rice  was  nominated,  and  his  most  trusted 
friends  advised  him  to  decline  the  Democratic 
nomination.  He  accordingly  did  so,  on  the  8th 
of  October,  upon  receipt  of  formal  notice  of  the 
action  of  the  convention,  in  a  letter  which  was 
warmly  commended.  In  it  he  said :  — 

"  I  appreciate  and  applaud  the  spirit  evinced  by  your 
convention  in  its  willingness  to  subordinate  party  names 
to  the  public  good;  but  having  no  desire  for  political 
office,  I  cannot  persuade  myself  that  any  public  interest 
demands,  at  this  time,  the  sacrifice  of  my  personal  wishes. 
If  the  time  for  such  sacrifice  comes,  I  shall  be  ready  to 
make  it,  whether  it  be  with  the  Democratic  party  or  the 
Republican  party  (or,  better  still,  the  honest  half  of  both), 
so  it  shall  be  the  party  which  the  near  future  impera- 
tively calls  for  to  lead  the  way  of  true  reform,  pure  ad- 
ministration and  intelligent  progress.  A  party  which 
shall  neither  be  obliged  to  content  itself  with  the  recital 
of  its  past  achievements,  nor  atone  for  its  past  mistakes." 

Before  the  time  arrived  for  him  to  receive  the 
of  any  other  place  of  trust  or  dignity,  his 


282    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT. 

health  had  so  far  declined  that  he  was  no  longer 
in  the  race.  As  early  as  August  of  this  year 
(1875),  he  had  been  strongly  urged  by  a  trusty 
friend  to  drop  cares  of  every  kind,  and  strive  to 
arrest  his  downward  course  by  travel  and  absolute 
rest  of  mind.  In  his  reply,  held  back  three  weeks 
for  mature  consideration,  he  wrote  as  follows :  — 

PITTSFIELD,  September  11,  1875. 

In  regard  to  business,  I  know  perfectly  well  that 
somebody  takes  your  place  when  you  "  fall  in  your 
tracks,"  but  you  will  admit  there  are  often  times  when 
it  is  a  man's  duty  to  fall  in  his  tracks  rather  than  desert 
under  fire.  It  looks  as  if  the  furnace  at  Richmond  could 
not  go  on  much  longer.  I  can  save  it,  and  those  who 
have  left  the  whole  thing  to  my  care,  from  the  total  loss 
which  would  ensue  if  I  were  to  abandon  it  at  this  time. 
I  hope  to  put  it  in  such  a  condition  that  I  shall  not  have 
to  be  there  much,  and  be  relieved  from  this  anxiety  and 
worry. 

The  furnace  here  will  stop  November  1st,  and  my 
responsibility  here  is  shared  by  others  and  does  not 
weigh  on  me  so  dreadfully.  Of  course,  with  both  fur- 
naces stopped,  I  shall  be  out  of  work,  and  I  must  look 
for  something  to  do  that  will  give  me  something  like  a 
support  for  my  family.  I  know  that  you  will  be  on  the 
watch  for  anything  that  might  by  chance  turn  up  that  I 
could  take.  There  are  very  few  things  that  I  am  fit  for, 
but  I  am  tired  of  tlhis  struggling  at  manufacturing,  and 
rushing  about  the  land,  and  would  be  glad  of  work  that 
would  keep  me  quietly  in  an  office. 

The  future  doesn't  seem  very  bright,  but  to  have 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    283 

bound  to  me  such  a  friendship  as  yours,  makes  the  pres- 
ent seem  more  full  of  happiness  than  I  thought  it  pos- 
sible. 

I  am  actually  feeling  better.  I  have  been  resting, 
bodily,  if  not  mentally,  for  more  than  a  month,  and  since 
I  came  back  from  Boston  I  have  gained  two  pounds, 
which  has  much  encouraged  me.  I  mean  to  think  of 
my  health  first,  in  all  my  movements  for  the  next  few 
months,  and  will  let  you  know  my  plans  as  soon  as  any 
are  formed.  Ever  yours,  FRANK  BARTLETT. 

Early  in  1876,  he  decided  to  go  to  Europe  for 
a  few  months,  but  he  was  delayed  a  good  deal  by 
a  severe  illness,  which  seized  him  in  New  York 
while  he  was  on  his  way  to  Richmond  to  put  the 
Powhatan  property  there  in  such  condition  that 
he  might  feel  at  liberty  to  leave  it.  The  follow- 
ing letters  were  written  before  he  sailed. 

N.  Y.  HOTEL,  January  20. 
....  I  have  been  detained  here  a  week,  not  well 

enough   to   go   on  to  Richmond The  Tredegar 

failure  probably  puts  us  hors  du  combat.  I  am  not  very 
depressed.  I  made  up  my  mind  to  the  worst  two  years 
ago,  and  have  been  so  near  the  bottom  ever  since  that  I 
had  n't  far  to  fall. 

RICHMOND,  VA.,  February  5,  1876. 

....  My  doctor  in  New  York,  Stimpson,  says  just 
what  Paddock  and  the  others  have  said,  that  I  have  no 
organic  disease  that  will  kill  me  if  I  stop  now  But  my 
nerve  force  is  exhausted,  and  I  have  used  my  strength 
faster  than  I  have  made  it.  Complete  rest  and  change 


284    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

will  restore  my  general  health,  and  with  that  restored 
the  other  troubles  will  disappear.  This  all  sounds  well, 
and  I  hope  it  is  so.  There  have  been  times,  though, 
this  last  month,  when  I  should  not  have  dared  to  go  to 
Bea,  but  felt  that  what  little  of  life  there  was  left  must 
not  be  spent  away  from  home.  I  am  feeling  somewhat 
better  and  stronger,  and  now  look  hopefully  to  being 

able  to  get  away  on  the  Russia,  March  1st I 

find  things  here  about  as  bad  as  possible,  although  we 
have  reduced  our  number  and  amount  of  debts  very 
much  since  last  August,  when  it  seemed  as  if  we  must 
stop.  The  failure  of  the  Tredegar  throws  their  paper 
on  to  us,  and  on  to  me  individually,  as  the  banks  would 
not  discount  without  two  names,  and  I  have  had  to  do 
this  thing  for  two  years  to  carry  the  concern  along,  sup- 
posing, of  course,  that  this  depression  in  business  and 
ruinous  prices  were  temporary  and  not  to  last  forever. 
I  have  the  bonds  of  the  company  as  security  for  my  in- 
dorsements and  loans,  and  if  the  banks  and  other  cred- 
itors look  at  the  matter  sensibly,  and  are  ready  to  take 
their  chance  with  me,  who  am,  in  fact,  the  largest  cred- 
itor, they  will  eventually  get  all  their  money.  I  have 
succeeded  in  paying  off  all  the  hands  and  employees  and 
small  creditors,  who  could  n't  afford  to  lose  or  wait,  and 
on  Monday  the  company  will  suspend  payment.  If  the 
Tredegar  had  not  failed,  I  think  we  might  have  pulled 
through,  but  I  should  have  had  to  do  the  pulling,  and  I 
am  not  in  condition  to  do  it.  I  am  taking  the  thing  very 
calmly  now.  I  think  I  went  all  through  the  agony  of  it 
two  years  ago,  and  have  been  getting  used  to  looking  it 
in  the  face  ever  since. 

If  I  only  felt  as  strong  and  well,  even  as  I  did  three 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    285 

years  ago,  I  should  not  mind  it  so  much,  for  I  could  get 
some  work  to  do,  or  some  position  that  would  give  me  a 
living;  but  now  I  must  follow  your  advice —  stop  work 
—get  my  health  and  strength  again  first,  and  then  trust 
to  finding  work  to  do  when  I  come  back.  If  I  do  not 
get  well  and  fit  for  work  speedily,  why  the  sooner  I  am 

quietly  "planted,"  the  better 

Ever  yours,  FRANK  BARTLETT. 

RICHMOND,  VA.,  February  14,  1876. 

....  Jersey  seems  to  promise  a  good  deal 

I  think  a  month  there  will  pick  me  up.  I  shall  be  gov- 
erned by  how  I  am  when  I  get  over,  if  I  get  over.  If 
I  don't,  I  '11  try  to  keep  above  water  till  you  get  back, 
dear  old  man,  to  take  you  by  the  hand 

PITTSFIEI;D,  February  24,  1876. 
....  I  am  better  since  I  left  Richmond  and  dropped 

the  oar Some  days,  though,  I  certainly  do  feel  a 

little  shaky  about  going.  It  is  such  an  irrevocable  step 
after  that  ship  leaves  the  dock.  But  we  must  hope  for 
the  best,  and  it  seems  the  only  thing  for  me  to  do,  so  I 
hope  to  give  you  good  news  of  myself  about  the  15th 
of  March 

He  sailed  from  New  York  for  Liverpool  on  the 
1st  of  March.  He  was  unfortunate  in  having 
an  unusually  rough  and  stormy  voyage,  and  the 
spring  in  Europe  was  very  cold  and  raw.  He 
sailed  from  Liverpool  on  the  27th  of  May,  and 
Arrived  in  New  York  on  the  7th  of  June.  His 
trip  did  not  do  him  the  good  that  had  been  hoped. 


286    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

He  had  waited  too  long  before  setting  out.  His 
wonderful  powers  of  rallying  seemed  to  have  de- 
serted him.  Sometimes  he  was  like  his  old  self, 
and  he  was  always  patient,  uncomplaining,  and 
even  cheerful,  but  he  was  generally  feeble  and 
averse  to  exertion  of  every  kind.  He  slept  much, 
and  often  dropped  asleep  by  day,  as  if  from  sheer 
exhaustion.  The  following  letters  give  a  suffi- 
cient description  of  his  experiences :  — 

CROXLKT  HOUSE,  March  23,  1876. 

1  received  your  letter  from  Paris  at  the  Hoodies'  in 
Liverpool,  where  I  stayed  ten  days  after  landing  from  a 
very  rough  passage.  The  worst  the  Russia  ever  saw, 
her  officers  said,  and  so  much  sea  aboard  constantly  that 
I  could  not  be  on  deck  at  all.  So  I  really  did  not  pick 
up  as  much  from  the  voyage  as  I  had  hoped  to  do,  but 
I  was  able  to  telegraph  Agnes  from  Queenstown,  Friday 
p.  M.,  that  notwithstanding  a  beastly  passage  I  had  stood 
it  very  well,  and  was  better.  This  all  went  in  one  word 
under  a  code  I  wrote  out  before  leaving.  Since  I  landed, 
the  weather  has  been  simply  atrocious.  It  has  actually 
snowed  every  day  until  to-day,  and  I  would  not  give  odds 
that  it  won't  yet,  though  the  sun  is  trying  to  get  out. 
I  envy  you  Rome,  and  I  should  have  gone  directly  on 
to  the  nearest  warm  spot  had  I  not  felt  the  necessity  of 
resting  at  Hoodies'.  I  came  down  here  the  21st,  and 
shall  go  to  London  to-morrow  and  start  for  Jersey  the 
first  of  the  week.  I  am  certainly  better  in  some  things. 
I  am  free  from  that  dreadful  pain  in  my  lost  foot  which 
had  tortured  me  for  two  or  three  months,  and  that  lets 
me  sleep  o'  nights,  so  that  I  am  doing  a  good  deal  of 


MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.  287 

that.  I  have  breakfast  in  bed,  and  doze  on  until  nearly 
noon  before  turning  out.  My  appetite  is  decidedly 
better,  for  I  do  not  loathe  the  sight  of  food  as  I  did  for 
weeks ;  indeed,  I  believe  I  am  really  glad  when  meals 
are  announced.  I  give  you  all  these  details  at  the  risk  of 
being  tiresome.  I  wish  I  could  add  that  I  am  feeling 
stronger  than  when  I  left  home,  but  I  suppose  I  must 
not  expect  too  much  in  so  short  a  time.  I  will  write  you 
from  Jersey  when  I  get  settled.  I  have  n't  felt  up  to 
writing  any  one  lately.  Let  me  hear  when  you  have  a 
spare  ten  minutes. 

Ever  yours,  FRANK  B. 

HOTEL  DE  LA  POMME  D'OR,  ST.  HELIERS, 
JERSEY,  April  2,  1876. 

This  is  only  a  line  to  say  that  I  got  here  safely  and 
am  inclined  to  think  I  shall  like  the  place.  The  weather 
has  not  let  me  out  till  within  a  day  or  two.  I  am  about 
the  same  as  when  I  wrote  to  you.  My  chief  motive  for 
writing  you  thus  hastily  is,  to  urge  your  not  staying  in 
Rome.  I  find  myself  worrying  about  you  all  the  time. 
It  has  been  deadly  this  year,  and  much  is  concealed.  I 
am  demoralized  about  Rome,  after  seeing  two  men  in 
London  who  have  been  there  most  of  the  winter.  Don't 
go  out  and  get  all  tired  out  sight-seeing  and  go  without 
lunch  and  stand  in  cold  churches  and  galleries  and  do 
other  imprudent  things,  which  the  natives  and  the  long 
residents  there  don't  do.  And  come  away  from  there 
quam  primum  to  Florence,  or  Venice,  or  anywhere. 

Hastily,  but  seriously  and  earnestly, 

Your  loving  FRANK. 


288    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

CROXLEY  HOUSE, 
RICKMANSWORTH,  HEUTS,  May  8,  1876. 

I  was  thrown  rudely  on  these  shores  yesterday  by  those 
villainous  seas  that  roll  between  us  to-day,  and  I  have 
vowed  never  to  cross  the  Channel  again  till  the  tunnel  is 
finished.  It  was  clear,  but  very  cold,  and  blew  a  perfect 
gale,  from  northeast,  I  should  say,  and  we  were  simply 
rolled  over  and  over,  completely  wet  through.  Don't  let 
Lou,  or  don't  you,  wear  anything  that  salt  water  will  hurt, 
My  beautiful  new  pea-jacket  looks  as  if  it  had  been  in  a 
flour  barrel,  covered  with  salt.  The  cabin  was  full  and 
close  and  foul,  everybody  sick.  I  tried  to  be,  but  did  n't 
succeed,  except  in  leeling  like  death,  and  was  more  dead 
than  alive  when  I  crawled  up  the  steps  at  Folkestone. 

If  it  is  at  all  bad  or  windy  weather,  I  advise  you  by 
all  means  to  go  by  Calais,  as  the  boats  are  larger  and 
more  comfortable,  and  I  didn't  find  the  getting  up  at 
that  hour  a  bit  of  trouble.  The  sunrise  was  lovely  and 
the  morning  air  sweet  and  refreshing.  Charles  very 
kindly  helped  me  off  and  saved  me  many  steps  and 
much  trouble.  I  made  close  connection  at  Euston  Sta- 
tion and  caught  George's  train,  and  was  glad  enough  to 
get  out  of  my  damp  salt  clothes,  after  reaching  Croxley, 
half  an  hour  before  dinner. 

I  slept  well,  and  feel  to-day  only  as  if  I  had  been  on  a 
bad  spree,  and  as  if  I  had  a  left  foot  which  somebody 
was  knifing.  I  suppose  it  comes  from  cold  yesterday, 
and  I  don't  believe  it  will  stay  long.  Bright  and  cold  to- 
day; real  good  winter  weather  outdoors,  but  not  inside, 
for  there  isn't  a  thermometer  in  the  house  that  stands 
over  50°  .... 

With  loads  of  love.        Always  yours,         "W.  F.  B. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    289 

Journal,  June  7,  1876.  At  the  dock  this  morning 
early.  Beautiful  day.  An  American  day,  and  thank 

God  I  am  safely  back  here  again I  am  so  glad 

to  be  at  home  again.  There  is  no  place  on  earth  like  it, 
and  I  thank  God  for  bringing  me  through  dangers  seen 
and  unseen. 

His  life  was  prolonged  for  a  little  more  than  six 
months  after  his  arrival  in  America,  but  his 
course  was  steadily  downward.  He  never  after- 
wards seemed  so  strong  as  on  the  day  when  he 
left  the  ship.  His  decline  was  not  without  some 
of  those  periods  of  apparent  improvement  which 
are  common  to  consumptive  patients,  and  he 
sometimes  seemed  at  least  to  be  encouraged,  and 
to  hope  for  something  approaching  permanent 
improvement,  but  from  time  to  time  he  fell  away 
in  a  marked  manner,  and  the  rally  which  followed 
was  never  sufficient  to  bring  him  back  to  the 
point  which  he  had  left.  He  wrote  at  first  such 
hopeful  and  cheerful  letters  as  the  two  which  fol- 
low, but  the  next  one  shows  his  growing  weak- 
ness. His  longed-for  visit  to  Cohasset  was  post- 
poned at  first,  and  then  given  up.  After  the 
latter  part  of  July  he  seldom,  if  ever,  wrote  a 
letter,  and  his  journey  ings  were  limited  to  short 
drives,  and  they  too,  soon  ceased. 

PITTSFIELD,  June  14,  1876. 

This  is  the  first  moment  I  have  had  pen  in  hand  since 
I  saw  you,  and  I  naturally  send  you  the  first  word.     I 
19 


290    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

found  myself  pretty  well  tired  the  day  after  I  got  home, 
and  have  kept  very  still  ever  since,  gaining  every  day 
since  Saturday  last  I  dare  say  it  was  the  sudden 
change  of  temperature,  or  the  fatigue  and  reaction,  but 
now  I  am  much  better,  and  really  feel  stronger  every 
day  under  this  lovely  sunshine  and  luxuriant  foliage. 

Oh,  Frank,  was  n't  the  country  more  lovely  than  you 
ever  saw  it,  that  afternoon  as  you  got  out  of  New  York  ? 
I  went  up  by  the  Housatonic,  and  as  the  sun  set  be- 
hind one  range  of  hills,  and  after  an  hour  or  two  a  su- 
perb moon  burst  out  from  behind  an  opposite  range, 
I  thought  that  those  Englishmen  who  landed  with  us 
must  fancy  this  a  land  of  enchantment 

But,  dear  Frank,  it  is  lovely  to  get  home  and  enjoy 
the  lovely  sunshine  filtered  thro'  the  elms.  We  sit  on 
the  piazza  constantly,  and  I  fancy  that  you  enjoy  yours 
more  than  ever  before 

Dr.  Paddock  thinks  I  am  decidedly  better  than  when 
I  went  away,  and  he  has  seen  me  only  in  my  played-out 
condition  of  the  last  week.  To-day  I  am  more  like  my- 
self than  any  day  since  we  landed  (he  has  not  seen  me 
for  two  days),  and  feel  perfectly  confident  now  of  going 
on  gaining.  The  country  never  looked  half  so  lovely. 

"  Every  prospect  pleases  and  only  man  is  vile,"  as  I 
fear  we  shall  hear  from  Cincinnati  to-morrow. 

I  have  not  had  a  business  letter,  and  should  not  have 
opened  it  if  I  had.  The  break  from  that  worry  is  com- 
plete still,  and  I  don't  mean  to  take  it  up  till  I  am  much 
better  able  to.  Meantime,  keep  your  ears  open  for  some 
situation  for  a  sober  and  industrious  young  man  next 
fa'l ;  no  objection  on  account  of  large  salary  and  little 
work.  Always  your  devoted 

FRANK. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    291 

PITTSFIELD,  June  26,  1876. 

....  I  have  your  kind   letter,  dear ,  and  I 

Deed  n't  say  how  I  appreciate  your  efforts  to  put  me  in 
the  way  of  work,  nor  how  eagerly  I  look  for  something 
to  do  that  shall  help  me  keep  the  wolf  from  the  door. 
I  am  gaining  under  the  lovely  June  skies,  and  am  look- 
ing forward  to  going  down  to  Cohasset  about  the  10th 
July.  Lovingly  yours, 

FRANK. 

PITTSFIELD,  July  17,  1876. 

I  am  going  on  about  the  same,  one  day  up,  the  next 
down.  As  soon  as  I  am  well  enough,  I  am  going  down 
to  Cohasset.  I  think  the  cough  is  decidedly  better; 
appetite  seems  to  be  the  main  thing  wanting  now.  I 
think  if  I  could  see  something  ahead  for  me  to  do,  it 
would  be  an  incentive  and  encouragement.  And  I  have 
reached  that  point  in  thinking  about  myself  that  the 
man  had  who  admitted  that  he  did  wish  his  wife  would 
either  get  well,  or,  or  —  something.  You  will  be  sur- 
prised to  hear  we  are  about  moving  back  into  our  own 
house.  It  was  too  late  in  the  season  when  I  came  home, 
I  suppose,  for  I  have  not  been  able  to  rent  it,  and  it 
seems  better  that  we  should  occupy  it  than  have  it  stand 
vacant.  It  will  be  cooler,  and,  in  all  ways,  more  com- 
fortable than  this  house,  and  not  necessarily  more  ex- 
pensive to  run.  Still,  if  I  could  rent  it  for  a  term  of 
years,  at  a  fair  price,  I  should  do  so,  and  take  a  more 
humble  dwelling. 

It  is  n't  going  to  be  a  very  serious  task  to  move,  as 
everything  is  in  a  small  space  here,  and  there  is  no  fur- 
niture to  move.  Ever  yours,  FRANK. 


292    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

The  following  extracts  from  a  letter  from  Mrs. 
Bartlett,  dated  August  29,  1876,  show  his  condi- 
tion at  that  time,  the  activity  of  his  mind,  and 
the  interest  which  he  continued  to  take  in  public 
affairs. 

Frank  has  a  better  appetite  than  for  a  good  while, 
and  lives  on  birds,  principally  woodcock,  of  which  he 
manages  one  for  his  dinner,  with  great  ease,  nearly 
every  day.  His  digestion  seems  to  be  improving,  and 
a  slow  though  perceptible  gain  made  each  day.  Frank 
is  taking  the  electric  baths,  and  they  seem  to  benefit 
him.  He  did  not  suppose  you  would  believe  the  report 
of  that  interview  in  the  "  Post,"  to  be  correct.  He  had 
no  idea  that  a  verbatim  report  was  intended",  for  the 
man  took  no  notes,  and  Frank  requested  him  not  to 
"  spread "  him,  and  he  supposed  that  he  would  merely 
announce  what  he  did  tell  him,  in  general  terms,  that  he 
was  earnestly  in  favor  of  Tilden's  election.  He  failed, 
however,  to  state  what  Frank  particularly  told  him,  that 
he  was  a  strong  Bristow  man,  and  should  have  supported 
him  with  enthusiasm,  had  he  not  been  beaten  at  Cincin- 
nati by  the  men  who  control  the  Republican  party, 
whom  he  hopes  to  see  deposed  this  fall.  Frank  felt 
much  annoyed,  by  it,  but  believed  that  those  friends 
whose  opinion  he  valued  most  would  take  the  same 
view  of  it  that  you  did. 

By  the  10th  of  September,  he  was  passing  most 
of  his  time  in  bed,  but  dressed  and  sitting  up  in 
the  afternoon.  The  sweet,  serious  expression  of 
Uis  face  was  unchanged,  his  voice  was  firm,  and 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    293 

the  grasp  of  his  hand  strong,  but  his  breathing 
was  audible  and  rather  quick,  and  his  face  and 
throat  were  pitifully  thin. 

On  the  24th  of  the  same  month,  a  daughter 
was  born  to  him.  She  was  named  Edith,  after 
the  lost  sister  whom  he  so  tenderly  mourned. 

For  the  rest  of  his  life  he  was  simply  waiting. 
His  sufferings  were  very  great,  but  they  were  borne 
with  absolute  fortitude  and  sweetness.  The  pow- 
ers of  his  mind  remained  unimpaired  to  the  last, 
and  his  cheerful  playfulness  did  not  desert  him. 
On  the  6th  of  November  he  proposed  to  have  his 
little  daughter  christened,  and  in  sending  to  invite 
a  valued  friend  to  be  present,  he  asked  that  it  be 
suggested  to  him  (election  day  coming  just  then, 
and  the  friend  being  an  anti-Tilden  man)  that 
they  could  "  pair  off ;  "  that  if  his  friend  would 
not  vote,  he  would  not. 

The  christening  took  place  in  his  room  on  the 
appointed  day,  and  after  that  he  partook  of  the 
communion.  In  all  these  days,  as  his  strength 
permitted,  he  talked  freely  and  unreservedly  with 
his  beloved  wife  about  the  future,  and  told  her 
what  he  wished  done  abjout  many  things.  Hard 
as  all  this  was,  he  told  his  wife  that  it  would  be  an 
inexpressible  comfort  to  her  afterwards,  and  she 
was  brave  and  firm  enough  to  go  through  with  it. 
He  told  her  that  if  he  should  be  spared,  and  if 
strength  should  be  given  him  again,  no  harm  was 
dorzo  that  they  had  talked  of  his  going,  and  that 


294    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

if  he  went  soon,  he  was  sure  she  would  never 
regret  what  then  seemed  so  very  hard  to  bear. 

In  the  last  month  of  his  life  there  was  almost 
always  towards  night  some  exhausting  turn,  and 
his  evenings  were  full  of  weariness.  His  foot  and 
ankle  began  to  swell,  and  such  symptoms  de- 
stroyed any  hope,  if  such  there  were  in  any  heart, 
of  any  real  improvement.  Feeble  and  exhausted 
as  he  was,  his  mind  was  actively  occupied,  and 
even  minute  details  received  his  careful  attention. 
He  had  directed  that  he  should  be  buried  in  his 
uniform  of  a  Major-general,  and  he  wished  to 
leave  to  his  three  sons  and  his  most  valued  friend 
the  four  silver  stars  which  he  wore  upon  his 
shoulders ;  and  he  caused  to  be  procured  four  stars 
of  like  appearance  to  take  their  place  upon  his 
uniform,  when  it  should  be  placed  upon  him,  never 
to  be  taken  off  again. 

There  is  no  need  of  describing  his  sufferings 
more  fully.  They  were  very  great  and  very  vari- 
ous, but  such  relief  as  the  most  tender  care  could 
yield  was  not  wanting.  He  had  the  untiring  de- 
votion of  his  wife  from  the  time  when  her  recov- 
ery from  her  confinement  made  it  possible  for  her 
to  resume  her  place  at  his  bedside,  and  all  through 
the  period  of  her  separation  from  him,  and  to  the 
end,  he  had  the  added  happiness  of  having  his 
mother  with  him.  The  wise  and  watchful  nursing 
of  these  two  admirable  women  was  an  unspeakable 
comfort  and  blessing  to  him,  and  their  strong  self- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    295 

control  united  with  his  grand  endurance  to  make 
the  sick-room  always  a  cheerful  place.  Death 
from  consumption  is  a  long  and  sore  trial,  which 
many  loving  hearts  have  had  to  watch  with  pity. 
In  his  case,  the  burden  was  made  heavier  by  the 
physical  pain  which  followed  the  loss  of  his  leg, 
and  by  the  distress  of  mind  which  flowed  from  his 
misfortunes  in  business.  All  his  efforts  had  been 
unsuccessful.  All  that  he  had,  and  more,  had 
been  swept  away,  and  he  had  to  face  the  prospect 
of  leaving  his  wife  and  his  six  children  utterly 
unprovided  for.  Fortunately,  these  facts  became 
known  in  time  to  enable  his  friends  to  relieve 
his  worst  anxieties,  and  nearly  three  weeks  be- 
fore he  died  he  knew  that  a  modest  subsistence 
was  secured  to  his  family.  This  knowledge  eased 
and  lightened  his  heart,  and,  as  he  said,  made  it 
much  easier  for  him  to  go. 

From  the  10th  of  December  the  change  was 
more  rapid ;  but,  though  his  weakness  was  great, 
he  was  in  many  respects  more  comfortable.  On 
Sunday,  the  17th  of  December,  1876,  he  called 
his  family  and  nearest  friends  around  him,  spoke 
words  of  comfort  and  encouragement  and  farewell 
to  them  all,  and  then  passed  peacefully  away. 

On  Wednesday,  December  20th,  the  coffin  con- 
taining the  body  of  the  General,  dressed  in  his 
uniform,  was  borne  from  his  house  to  the  hearse, 
and  from  the  hearse  to  the  church,  by  six  of  his 
comrades  in  the  war.  The  quiet  of  the  town  and 


296    MEMOIR  OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

the  throng  in  the  church  bore  testimony  to  the 
general  sense  of  loss.  After  the  burial  service 
had  been  read,  one  of  the  officiating  clergymen 
came  down  to  the  side  of  the  bier,  and  paid  a 
touching  and  feeling  tribute  to  the  worth  of  the 
departed  as  a  man  and  as  a  Christian.  Just  as 
the  sun  of  a  cold,  bright,  still  winter  day  was  set- 
ting, he  was  lowered  into  the  grave  made  for  him 
in  the  Pittsfield  Cemetery,  and  left  to  his  rest  in 
the  pure  silence  of  the  snow. 

"  The  Massachusetts  of  this  generation  has  bred 
no  so  heroic  a  character  as  that  of  the  man  whom 
she  will  bury,  with  sadness  and  with  honor,  in 
Berkshire,  this  week."  These  are  understood  to 
have  been  the  words  of  a  man  now  no  more, 
who  knew  General  Bartlett  well,  and  who  had  in 
his  day  few  equals  in  judging  of  character.  It 
is  hoped  that  the  story  of  a  life  has  been  so  told 
in  the  foregoing  pages,  that  the  judgment  of  the 
reader  will  confirm  this  high  estimate. 

The  qualities  which  first  attracted  attention 
to  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  were  bravery  and 
judgment.  Bravery  is  always  a  fascinating  qual- 
ity ;  but,  fortunately  for  mankind,  it  is  not  rare. 
In  his  first  engagement,  Bartlett  showed  not  only 
courage,  but  coolness  and  nerve,  and  it  was  per- 
ceived that  there  was  an  old  head  upon  the  young 
shoulders  of  the  gallant  soldier.  As  the  war  went 
on,  those  who  were  near  him  recognized  i  i  him 
the  possession  of  clear  faculties  and  absolute  integ- 


MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    297 

rity,  as  well  as  brilliant  bravery  and  a  mind  that 
remained  equal  in  the  midst  of  difficulties,  while 
those  who  perhaps  never  saw  him  were  struck 
with  admiration  at  beholding  the  tenacity  of  pur- 
pose with  which  he  went  back  to  the  field  after 
so  many  enforced  absences.  After  the  return  of 
peace,  his  neighbors  were  charmed  with  the  vir- 
tues and  graces  of  his  private  life,  and  had  con- 
stant proofs  that  the  accomplished  soldier  was  a 
citizen  of  great  and  growing  usefulness.  His  in- 
terest in  what  is  most  valuable  to  every  commu- 
nity, in  religion,  in  education,  in  the  elevation  of 
politics,  in  true  reform,  was  always  fresh.  What- 
ever his  sufferings  or  his  weariness  might  be, 
whatever  the  demands  of  business  or  the  anxieties 
of  narrowing  means,  he  was  always  ready  to  lend 
a  helping  hand  to  every  cause  which  his  clear 
eyes  saw  to  be  a  good  one.  As  the  years  of  his 
life  drew  near  their  end,  his  sudden  eloquence 
thrilled  many  listeners,  and  thousands  of  hearts, 
North  as  well  as  South,  were  touched  at  the  spec- 
tacle presented  by  the  crippled  hero,  the  first  to 
counsel  reconciliation  with  those  whose  arms  had 
shattered  the  promise  of  his  life.  His  patriot- 
ism was  true  patriotism.  His  love  of  country 
embraced  the  whole  country.  His  absolute  devo- 
tion to  the  flag  made  him  eager  that  every  Amer- 
ican should  love  and  honor  that  flag  as  he  did. 

The  impression  which  General  Bartlett  made 
upon  those  who  knew  him  only  by  reputation, 


298    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANC13  BARTLETT. 

was  deepened  in  those  who  saw  him,  by  the  rich 
gifts  of  nature.  His  figure  was  tall,  slender,  and 
erect,  his  head  small  and  well  set,  his  eyes  clear, 
his  features  well  cut  and  full  of  character,  his 
carriage  conspicuous  by  its  grace  and  dignity. 
There  was  about  him  altogether  a  certain  stately 
air  which  the  New  England  men  of  this  genera- 
tion have  hardly  seen  equaled.  A  share  of  com- 
posure and  reserve  was  natural  to  him,  but  his 
manners  were  courteous  and  his  smile  engaging. 
His  voice  was  deep,  full-toned,  and  powerful.  He 
was  a  born  leader  of  the  best  men,  and  he  had 
large  endowments  for  controlling  the  worst.  The 
fatality  which  attended  his  military  career,  —  he 
never  went  into  action  but  once  without  being  dis- 
abled, —  deprived  him  of  the  opportunity  of  show- 
ing what  he  could  do  in  the  exercise  of  a  large 
command,  but  he  proved  himself  to  be  not  only  a 
most  gallant,  but  a  most  useful  soldier.  He  was 
very  successful  in  establishing  discipline,  improv- 
ing drill,  developing  and  maintaining  tone,  and 
by  doing  thoroughly  well  whatever  was  given 
him  to  do,  he  gave  the  best  assurance  possible  that 
if  the  fortune  of  war  had  been  but  commonly 
favorable  to  him,  he  would  have  been  found  equal 
to  the  high  places  of  command.  The  men  who 
served  under  him  feel  and  say  that  the  memory 
of  his  heroic  character  is  apt  to  make  them  better 
men,  and  that  their  love  for  him  and  devotion 
to  him  were  complete.  The  chaplain  of  his  last 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.     299 

regiment,  an  excellent  and  accomplished  clergy- 
man, speaks  lovingly  of  his  gentle  modesty,  of 
his  grave  dignity,  of  his  magnetism  as  a  leader, 
of  his  kindness  aud  his  inflexible  justice,  and 
adds  the  interesting  fact  that  this  intrepid  man 
never  went  into  action  without  a  certain  present! 
ment  of  extreme  suffering  or  death. 

Wherever  he  went  he  was  observed.  Wher 
ever  he  was  known  he  was  admired  and  loved. 
His  life  was  a  blessing  to  those  among  whom  he 
lived.  One  of  the  last  letters  he  received  con- 
tained this  tribute  to  his  usefulness  :  "  Some  men 
do  their  best  life-work  in  the  influences  of  nobler 
manhood  that  go  forth  from  them,  —  the  vague, 
unrealizable,  but  most  potent  of  all  works.  How 
many  are  truer  and  better  men  for  your  influ- 
ence, my  dear  friend,  you  may  not  know.  Your 
life  is  already  in  many  another  man." 

While  he  laid  hold  of  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
educated  and  refined,  he  had  equal  success  in  en- 
gaging the  affections  and  winning  the  respect  of 
the  rough  foundrymen  in  his  employ.  His  strict 
discipline  did  not  alienate  them.  His  will  was  law 
to  them,  but  they  found  him  sympathetic,  prompt 
to  visit  their  homes  when  they  were  sick  or  in 
trouble,  and  ready  to  help  them  according  to  his 
means.  As  his  trusted  foreman  said,  "  his  great 
\ieart  could  take  in  the  lowly." 

Of  his  domestic  character  it  is  not  necessary 
to  add  to  the  showing  of  his  letters  and  journals. 


800    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

In  his  friendships,  when  his  friendship  was  given, 
he  was  more  like  a  lover  than  a  friend.  To  those 
who  knew  him  thoroughly,  his  life  filled  a  place 
and  his  death  left  a  void  such  as  are  not  likely  to 
be  paralleled  in  a  single  human  experience. 

As  early  as  1864,  at  the  sword  presentation  at 
Winthrop,  Governor  Andrew  pronounced  him 
the  most  conspicuous  soldier  of  Massachusetts  in 
the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  When  the  war 
ended,  he  was  the  most  conspicuous  soldier  of  all 
whom  Massachusetts  sent  to  the  field.  In  the 
years  which  followed,  his  career  was  so  useful  and 
BO  brilliant  as  to  give  good  reason  for  believing 
that,  had  his  life  been  spared,  the  most  conspicuous 
soldier  of  Massachusetts  would  have  been  one  of 
the  most  honored  and  beloved  of  her  sons. 


APPENDIX. 


OP  the  following  tributes  to  the  memory  of  General 
Bartlett,  the  first  is  understood  to  have  been  written  by 
the  late  Mr.  Bowles.  It  appeared  in  the  "  Springfield 
Republican : " — 

GENERAL  BARTLETT. 

The  recognition  by  the  press  of  the  heroic  character- 
istics of  General  Bartlett  is  quick  and  wide.  We  have 
dwelt  upon  his  qualities  and  his  services,  his  opinions 
and  his  acts,  not  only  as  an  act  of  justice,  but  in  the 
belief  that  they  furnish  a  greatly  needed  example,  and 
in  the  hope  that  from  his  grave  there  might  go  new  and 
richer  influences,  so  that  even  dead  he  will  yet  speak 
with  more  potent  eloquence  than  ever.  It  is  not  given 
to  many  men  to  have  his  simple,  quick  perception  of  the 
kernel  truth,  or  his  equally  simple  and  natural  way  of 
speaking  and  acting  it.  It  never  seemed  to  cost  him 
anything  to  think  rightly,  or  to  speak  and  act  what  he 
thought;  it  did  itself,  as  it  were;  not  only  without  hes- 
itation or  fear  of  the  consequences,  but  without  the  rec- 
ognition that  there  were  any  consequences  that  should 
be  considered.  Few  men  are,  indeed,  so  wonderfully 


302    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

endowed  as  this  ;  but  all  of  us,  by  seeking,  may  find  this 
God  of  Truth.  It  was  a  conspicuous  life  that  he  lived 
before  his  fellow-citizens  in  Massachusetts.  No  life  so 
impressive  in  its  features,  or  furnishing  so  noble  an  ex- 
ample, has  been  lived  before  us  in  this  generation.  But 
:t  was  lived  without  his  thought  of  its  character  or  its 
consequences  to  himself.  And  if  he  can  live  again  in 
any  degree  in  the  lives  and  characters  of  his  comrades 
and  successors,  of  the  young  men  who  knew  him  or 
have  read  his  story  and  felt  its  inspiration,  the  dead 
hero  will  be  again  the  living  hero,  and  the  glory  of  his 
life  will  take  on  at  once  its  true  immortality. 


WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

OH,  well  may  Essex  sit  forlorn 
Beside  her  sea-blown  shore ; 

Her  well  beloved,  her  noblest  born 
Is  hers  in  life  no  more ! 

If  early  from  the  mother's  side 
Her  favored  child  went  forth, 

Her  pride  so  amply  justified 
Is  in  a  hero's  birth. 

No  lapse  of  years  can  render  less 
Her  memory's  sacred  claim  ; 

No  fountain  of  forgetfulnesa 
Can  wet  the  lips  of  fame. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETY.    303 

A  grief  alike  to  wound  and  heal, 

A  thought  to  soothe  and  pain, 
The  sad,  sweet  pride  that  mothers  feel 

To  her  must  still  remain. 

Good  men  and  true  she  has  not  lacked, 

And  brave  men  yet  shall  be  ; 
The  perfect  flower,  the  crowning  fact, 

Of  all  her  years  was  he ! 

As  Galahad  pure,  as  Merlin  sage, 
What  worthier  knight  was  found 

To  grace  in  Arthur's  golden  age 
The  fabled  Table  Round  ? 

A  voice,  the  battle's  trumpet-note, 

To  welcome  and  restore ; 
A  hand,  that  all  unwilling  smote, 

To  heal  and  build  once  more ! 

A  soul  of  fire,  a  tender  heart 

Too  warm  for  hate,  he  knew 
The  generous  victor's  graceful  part, 

To  sheathe  the  sword  he  drew. 

The  more  than  Sidney  of  our  day, 

Above  the  sin  and  wrong 
Of  civil  strife,  he  heard  alway 

The  angels'  Advent  song ! 

When  Earth,  as  if  on  evil  dreams, 
Looks  back  upon  her  wars, 


304    MEMOIR   OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

And  the  white  light  of  Christ  outstreams 
From  the  red  disk  of  Mars, 

His  fame  who  led  the  stormy  van 

Of  battle  well  may  cease, 
But  never  that  which  crowns  the  man 

Whose  victory  was  Peace. 

Mourn,  Essex,  on  thy  sea-blown  shore 

Thy  beautiful  and  brave, 
Whose  failing  hand  the  olive  bore, 

Whose  dying  lips  forgave ! 

Let  age  lament  the  youthful  chief, 

And  tender  eyes  be  dim  ; 
The  tears  are  more  of  joy  than  grief 

That  fall  for  one  like  him  ! 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier. 


MILITARY  ORDER,  LOYAL  LEGION,  UNITED  STATES 

COMMANDERT    OF   THE    STATE   OF   MASSACHUSETTS. 

TRIBUTE   TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  COMPANION  BREA'ET   MAJOR-GENERAL 
WILLIAM  F.  BARTLETT,  U.  8.  VOLS. 

Adopted  at  a  stated  meeting  of  this  Commandery,  held 
on  Wednesday,  February  7,  1877. 

"  Our  late  Companion  William  Francis  Bartlett, 
Brevet  Major-general  U.  S.  Volunteers,  died  at  Pitts- 
field  oil  the  seventeenth  day  of  December,  1876. 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BART  LETT.     305 

"  It  is  among  the  objects  of  our  order  to  cherish  the 
memories  and  associations  of  the  war  waged  in  defense 
of  the  Unity  and  Indivisibility  of  the  Republic,  to  en- 
force unqualified  allegiance  to  the  General  Government, 
and  to  maintain  National  Honor,  Union,  and  Independ- 
ence. 

"We  recognize  in  our  late  Companion  one  who  was 
foremost  among  the  men  of  Massachusetts,  both  in  war 
and  in  peace,  in  supporting  the  Government  and  in 
maintaining  National  Honor,  Union,  and  Independence. 

"  We  contemplate  with  pride  his  brilliant  military 
career,  which  entailed  heavy  sacrifices  and  sufferings 
upon  himself,  but  did  not  end  till  the  war  ended.  Im- 
prisonment, illness,  and  repeated  wounds  were  alike 
powerless  to  shake  the  absolute  tenacity  of  purpose  with 
which  he  followed  and  upheld  the  Flag.  From  the 
commencement  of  hostilities  to  the  close,  whenever  his 
physical  condition  would  permit,  he  was  always  at  the 
front. 

"  From  the  humble  position  of  a  private  in  a  militia 
organization  he  rose  to  be  a  Division  Commander. 
Wherever  he  went,  he  enforced  discipline,  diffused  the 
soldierly  spirit,  cared  thoughtfully  and  wisely  for  his 
men,  led  them  with  conspicuous  gallantry,  shared  all 
their  privations,  and  thought  always  first  of  their  welfare 
and  of  the  welfare  of  his  country.  At  Ball's  Bluff,  in 
the  Peninsular  campaign,  at  the  siege  of  Port  Hudson, 
in  the  Wilderness,  and  at  the  siege  of  Petersburg,  his 
record  was  that  of  perfect  soldierly  faithfulness  ;  our 
enemies  admired  him,  as  well  as  his  comrades  and  the 
great  Northern  people  for  whom  he  fought  so  well. 
Four  years  of  fighting  raised  him  to  high  rank  in  the 
20 


806    MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

army,  and  won  for  him  a  great  name,  but  they  left  him 
with  a  shattered  constitution  and  a  crippled  frame,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-five. 

"  We  contemplate  with  equal  pride  and  admiration  the 
civil  career  of  our  deceased  Companion.  In  every  re- 
lation of  his  life  he  showed  himself  the  true  citizen  and 
the  Christian  gentleman.  Graceful  and  stately  in  his 
bearing,  courteous  in  his  manners,  he  moved  among  us  a 
man  of  correct  and  attractive  example.  Never  allured 
by  the  frivolous  pleasures  of  life,  he  divided  his  time 
between  the  cares  of  business  and  the  relaxations  of  his 
home.  He  was  a  devoted  husband,  a  tender  father,  and 
a  faithful  friend.  The  burden  of  pain  and  weakness 
grew  steadily  heavier  as  his  days  went  on,  but  it  never 
caused  him  to  halt,  and  seldom  to  pause  in  his  march. 
The  best  and  highest  interests  of  the  community  always 
enlisted  his  earnest  and  active  sympathy,  and  he  was  un- 
tiring in  his  efforts  to  promote  them.  The  church,  edu- 
cation, and  politics,  especially  political  reform,  all  had  a 
share  of  his  faithful  service.  By  attentive  observation 
and  patient  thought,  he  freed  his  mind  from  the  obscuring 
influences  of  the  passions  of  the  hour,  and  came  to  enter- 
tain broad  and  high  views,  and  so  learned  to  frame  those 
impressive  sentences  which,  first  spoken  in  Memorial 
Hall,  at  once  echoed  through  the  land,  and  made  his 
grand  voice  known  to  South  as  well  as  North,  as  that 
of  one  calling  to  large-hearted  union  and  loyalty. 

"The  life  of  our  deceased  Companion  was  so  full  of 
promise,  as  well  as  of  performance,  that  our  gratitude 
for  what  he  did,  and  for  the  influence  of  his  example,  is 
mingled  with  deep  regret  for  our  loss  of  what  might 
have  been  his  future.  With  proud  and  tender  recollec- 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

tion,  we  record  our  testimony  to  our  belief,  that  he  was 
one  of  the  noblest  of  the  soldiers  and  citizens  whom 
Massachusetts  has  numbered  among  her  sons. 

"  Resolved,  That  these  resolutions  be  entered  upon 
our  records,  and  a  copy  of  them  sent  to  the  family  of 
our  deceased  Companion." 


The  following  words  were  spoken  at  General  Bart- 
lett's  funeral  by  one  who  had  known  him  well  in  his 
earlier  days,  and  who  had  been  permitted  during  the  last 
months  of  his  life  to  receive  his  most  sacred  confidences. 

They  refer  chiefly  to  one  subject,  upon  which,  in  his 
letters,  he  has  said  but  little,  but  which  became  more 
and  more  prominent  in  his  thoughts  as  his  life  drew 
toward  its  close.  That  life's  latest  chapter  was  its  sub- 
limest ;  to  those  who  were  nearest  him  during  those  last 
days  the  memory  of  his  faith  has  seemed  as  sacred  a 
trust  as  the  memory  of  his  deeds,  and  with  this  thought 
in  view  they  have  wished  to  see  added  to  the  foregoing 
pages  this  heartfelt  testimony  uttered  at  his  burial. 

A.  L. 

"  It  is  not  the  custom,  as  you  know,  of  our  church,  to 
add  to  her  burial  service  words  of  human  eulogy  or 
human  judgment.  It  is  our  wont  to  read,  over  the  mor- 
tal bodies  of  the  rich  and  poor,  the  lowly  and  the  great 
Alike,  the  same  words  of  Scripture ;  to  utter  the  same 
prayers  hallowed  by  centuries  of  use,  and  to  commend 
the  immortal  soul  into  His  presence  with  whom  is  no 
respect  of  persons,  and  before  whom  all  must  appear, 


308    MEMOIR   OF   WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT. 

alike  unveiled,  or  clothed  alike  with  the  righteousness 
of  Christ. 

"  But  there  comes  now  and  then  a  time  when  the  world 
is  not  content  to  let  a  hero  pass  from  its  sight  without  a 
word  of  farewell ;  and  it  falls  to  my  lot,  to-day,  to  speak 
over  one  that  has  gone,  on  behalf  of  those  who  loved 
him,  a  few  words  of  tender  remembrance.  I  am  not 
here  to  eulogize  his  record  as  a  soldier ;  that  is  graven 
already  upon  your  memories  more  deeply  than  any  words 
of  mine  could  print  it.  I  am  not  here  to  eulogize  his 
record  as  a  patriot ;  although  you  well  remember  that 
when  the  war  cloud  lifted  and  around  the  sword  was 
twined  the  olive,  no  voice  was  sooner  raised  than  his, 
with  no  uncertain  sound,  in  words  of  '  peace  on  earth, 
good  will  toward  men.'  But  my  friends,  his  life  had 
another  utterance,  and  from  his  sick  room  and  dying  bed 
there  goes  out  a  testimony  no  less  noble,  no  less  real,  — 
the  lesson  of  a  Christian  faith.  To  this  testimony  it  is 
my  privilege  as  a  Christian  minister  to  give  voice,  and 
to  say  to  you  that  his  life  at  its  close  was  no  less  elo- 
quent than  in  its  mid-career.  He  whom  you  have  known 
as  a  brave  soldier  in  the  field,  died  the  '  good  soldier  of 
Jesus  Christ.'  Great  in  his  life,  he  was  greater  yet  in 
his  death.  When,  laid  upon  his  bed  of  sickness,  he  bore 
unflinching  the  pain  which  racked  his  shattered  frame ; 
when,  turning  calmly  away  from  the  earthly  honors 
pressed  upon  him,  he  counted  them  as  nothing ;  when, 
spite  of  home  affection  —  too  tender  to  be  spoken  here 
—  he  calmly  yielded  to  God's  will ;  when,  a  few  short 
weeks  ago,  he  raised  to  his  lips  with  a  trembling  hand 
the  sacramental  cup,  and  his  voice,  still  unbroken,  sang 
with  humble  penitence  the  words,  — 


MEMOIR  OF  WILLIAM  FRANCIS  BARTLETT.    309 

"  '  Jesus,  Saviour  of  my  soul, 
Let  me  to  thy  bosom  fly,  — 


"  '  All  my  trust  on  thee  is  stayed, 

All  my  hope  from  thee  I  bring  '  — 

I  say  that  he  was  greater  than  when  that  same  voice 
rang  out  across  the  field  of  battle  or  spoke  at  Lexington. 

l<  And  oh,  my  friends,  with  what  power  do  such  a  life 
and  such  a  record  speak  to  us  of  an  hereafter !  You, 
whose  brain  has  come  to  teach  you  that  there  is  no 
hereafter,  no  resurrection  of  the  dead,  no  life  of  the 
world  to  come,  does  your  heart  rest  satisfied  with  that 
belief  as  you  look  upon  him  who  lies  here  ?  Are  you 
content  with  that  position  ?  Is  this  all  ?  Do  you  mean 
to  say  that  when  this  gallant  frame  crumbles  again  to  its 
dust,  the  soul  that  has  animated  it  is  extinguished,  like  a 
flame  blown  out  ?  That  that  soul's  work  is  over  ?  That 
the  only  immortality  which  remains  for  him  is  that  of 
living  in  the  memory  of  men  who  die  ? 

"  We,  who  share  his  faith,  can  tell  you  better ;  that  a 
nobler  career  has  begun  for  him  ;  that 

"  '  Doubtless  unto  him  is  given 

A  life  that  bears  immortal  fruit, 
In  such  great  offices  as  suit 
The  full-grown  energies  of  heaven.' 

And  in  this  faith  we  leave  him.  In  this  sure  and  cer- 
tain hope  we  lay  him  out  of  our  sight.  And  we  sum  up 
the  lesson  of  his  life  with  the  words  which  these  cold 
lips  might  utter,  could  they  speak :  — 

"'I  have  fought  a  good  fight;  I  have  finished  my 
course ;  I  have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  remains 
for  me  a  crown  of  glory,  —  one  which  fadeth  not  away.'  " 


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